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The 

Robert  E.  Gross 
Collection 

A  Memorial  to  the  Founder 
of  the 


Business  Administration  Library 
Los  Angeles 


p 


ii^^^k 


M  E  M  O  I 

^_^  OF      T  HE 

BARON    DE    TdTT, 


ON       THE 

TURKS  AND  THE  TARTARS. 

Translated  from  the  French. 

By    an    ENGLISH    GENTLEMAN    at    PARIS, 

Under  the  immediate  Ins pectio n- 

0  r       THE 

BARON. 

VOL.     IlL 


DUBLIN: 

Printed  for  L.  W  HITE,   J.  CASH,  and 
R.  MARCHBANK, 

M,DCC,LXXXV„ 


MEMOIRS 


OF     THE 


BARON     DE     TOTT. 


T  H  I  R  D  Part, 


1HAD  fcen,  on  my  journey,  only  a 
fnnall  part  of  the  diforders  and  cruel- 
ties committed  by  the  Turkifli  army,  on 
leaving  Conllantinople  ;  but  on  my  ar- 
rival in  that  capital,  I  found  every  body 
ftill  in  emotion  at  fo  horrible  a  fpedlacle, 
the  particulars  of  which  1  had  no  diffi- 
culty in  colledling. 

An  ancient  cuftom,  of  which  neither 
the  caufe  nor  the  origin  can  be  traced, 
unites  the  mod  infipid  buffooneries,  with 
the  commanding  train  of  the  aflemblage 
of  the  forces  of  a  great  empire,  againft 
its  enemies,  and  the  Turks  call  this  ridi- 
A  2  culous 


4  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

culous  medley,  Alay-y  that  is,  th^  trium- 
phal pomp  :  it  confifts  in  a  fort  of  maf- 
querade,  where  all  the  different  branch- 
es of  trade  fuccelfwely  exhibit  to  the 
fpe61:ators,  the  mechanic  exercife  of  their 
refpedive  arts :  The  hufbandman  drives 
his  plough,  the  weaver  throws  his  fhut- 
tle,  the  joiner  planes ;  and  thefe  various 
reprefentations,  raifed  on  carriages,  rich- 
ly decorated,  open  the  proceflion,  and 
precede  the  flandard  of  Mahomet  *,  when 
it  is  marched  out  of  the  Seraglio,  to  be 
conveyed  to  the  army,  to  iniure  vidtory 
to  ihe  Ottoman  troops. 

This 

*♦  This  Standard,  made  of  green  filk  fluff,  is  kept 
in  theTreafury,  from  whence  it  is  never  taken>  but 
to  goto  war;  it  was,  however,  in  agitation,  to  em- 
ployitagainft  the  rebels  who  dethroned  Sultan  Ach- 
met:  that  Prince's  Vifir,  who  was  the  firft  vidim 
on  which  the  malecontents  difplayed  their  fury, 
without  glutting  it,  gave  that  advice  to  his  mailer  ; 
and  the  revolters,  who  had  no  other  principle  of 
union  than  pillage,  muft  certainly  have  been  dif- 
perfed  by  the  multitude,  who  would  have  refortcd 
to  the  facred  banner.  Another  relic  of  Mahomet 
is  preferved,  alfo,  in  the  Treafury ;  they  dip  this 
every  year  in  water,  which  the  Grand  Seignior  then 
crders  to  be  diftributed,  in  phials,  to  the  great  men 
pf  the  empire.     Free- thinkers,  for  fuch  there  are, 

even 


B  A  R  ON     D  E    T  O  T  T.  ^ 

This  royal  ftandflrd  of  the  Turks, 
which  they  call  Sandjak-Cherif,  or  the 
Standard  of  the  Prophet,  is  held  in  ^o 
much  reverence  amongft  them,  that,  not- 
withllanding  the  various  checks  with 
which  its  reputation  has  been  tarnifhed, 
it  is  fliil  the  fole  objed  of  their  confi- 
dence, and  the  facred  point  to  which- 
they  rally.  Every  thing  proclaims  the 
fandtity  of  thefe  colours  ;  the  Emirs  only,i 
have  the  privilege  of  touching  ir ;  they 
Gompofe  the  band  which  furrounds  it;. 
it  is  borne  by  their  chief:  Muflulmen-' 
alone  dare  life  their  eyes  to  look  at  it; 
other  hands  would  pollute,  other  eye» 
would  prophane  it ;  the  mod  barbarous 
fanaticifm  encompalTcs  this  ftandard. 

A  long  peace  having  unfortunately- 
made  them  forget  the  ridicule  and  the 
danger  of  this  ceremony,  the  Chriftians, 
very  imprudently,  were  anxious  to  fee 
it  ;  and  the  Turks,  who,  from  the  li- 
A  3  tuation 

even  amongft  the  true-believers,  pretended,  that 
this  relic  is  no  other  than  an  old  pair  of  breeches  of 
the  Prophet;  it  is  very  certain,  however,  that  this 
hroly  water  cofts  dear  to  thofe  who  are  gratified  with 
it ;  and  that  they  who  convey  it,  make  the  favour- 
ed perfons  pay  very  handfomely  for  the  goods  of 
this,  and  for  their  faivation  in  the  other  world. 


6  MEMOIRS     OF    THE 

tuation  of  their  houfes,  could  let  their 
windows,  availed  themfelves  of  this  ad- 
vantage :  an  Emir,  v/ho  preceded  the 
banner,  cried  out,  in  a  loud  voice,  the 
following  words  :  **  Let  no  infidel  dare 
to  prophane,  by  his  prefcnce,  the  fanc- 
ticy  of  the  Prophet's  (tandard;  and  let 
every  iMulTulnfiin  who  difcovers  an  infi- 
del, declare  it,  under  pain  of  reproba- 
tion.'* From  that  moment  there  was  na 
afylum  j  even  they,  who,  by  letting  their 
houfes,  had  become  accomplices  in  the 
crime,  became  the  informers.  Fury 
takes  poflefiion  of  their  minds,  and  gives 
frefh  ftrength  to  every  armj  the  mod 
atrocious  crimes  become  the  miofl:  meri- 
torious ;  no  longer  was  there  any  dif- 
lindlion  of  ageor  fex.  Pregnant  women, 
dragged  by  the  hair  of  the  head,  tramp- 
led under  foot  by  the  multitude,  pe- 
rifhed  in  the  moll  -deplorable  manner  -, 
nothing  was  refpeded  by  thefe  monfters; 
and  it  was  under  thefe  aufpices  that  the 
Turks  began  the  war. 

TheKatty-Cherif,  or  Imperial  Diplo- 
ma, which  proclaimed  it,  didlatcd  in  the 
ufual  form,  invited  all  true-believers, 
able   to   bear  arms,  to  unite  themfelves 

under 


BARQN   DE    TOTT.  7 

under  the  ftandard  of  the  Faith,  to  fight 
againft  its  enemies  ;  this  fort  of  convo- 
cation of  the  Arrier  Ban,  promifed  a  nu- 
merous army,  but  not  an  army  of  good 
troops :  ignorance  and  avarice  gave  the 
preference  to  this  multitude  of  volunteers, 
whom  they  fhould  no  longer  be  obliged 
to  think  of,  at  the  conclufion  of  the  war, 
to  the  fervice  of  the  JanilTaries,  whofe 
pay,  and  pretenfions,  would  for  ever  be 
advanced.  It  may,  alfo,  be  prefumed, 
that  the  Grand  Seignior's  fearing  to  re- 
(tore  to  that  corps  the  energy  to  which 
his  father  had  fallen  a  vidim,  was  incli- 
ned only  to  employ  them  as  auxiliary  for- 
ces. The  mod  fubftantial  inconveni- 
ence that  prevailed,  and  which  one  would 
the  leaft  fufpedl,  was  the  total  want  of 
forefight  refpe6ling  provifions.  It  is  the 
nature  of  defpotifm,  always  to  flatter  ic- 
felf,  to  be  able  to  fubflitute  authority  to 
prudence.  The  Grand  Vifir  command- 
ed the  army  i  all  the  Minifters  accom- 
panied him ;  even  the  records  of  the 
Chancery  were  dragged  in  the  train.  No 
doubts  were  entertained  either  of  fuccefs, 
or  of  abundance — the  confidence  was  as 
blind,  as  ic  was  univerfal. 

A  4  Whilft 


8*^  MEMOIRS    OF    THi: 

Whilft  the  great  officers^  by  going  to^ 
a  diflance  from  Conftantinople,  feem  to- 
remove  with  them  the  feat  even  of  the 
empire,  their  fubftitutes,  in  each  em- 
ployment, refide  in  the  capital,  and  are 
refponfible  to  the  defpot  for  the  ready' 
execution  of  his  orders*. 

We  are  now  going  to  fee  the  fpringsof 
this  government  in  adion,  the  fucceffive 
details  of  which,  will  enable  the  reader 
to  form  a  better  judgment  than  from  a^ 
vague  dilTertation,  unfupported  by  fads.. 

I  had  only  been  a  few  days  at  Conftan- 
tinople,  and  had  fcarcely  had  time  to 
t-ake  the  neceflary  (leps  to  haften  the  re- 
turn of  my  baggage,  which  I  had^ 
left  in  Crimea,  and  in  Bafs-Arabia, 
when  the  fird  phyfician  of  the  Grand  Sig- 
nior  fent  to  me,  at  eleven  o'clock  at  night,, 
to  know  if  I  would  receive  him.  The 
fecrecy  he  exadled,  together  with  the  fa- 
vour in  which  I  knew    he   was  with   the 

Sultan,. 

*  II  muft  be  remarked,  however,  that  the  remo- 
val of  the  Records  of  the  Chancery,  neceflarily  re- 
tards the  execution  of  thofe  orders  where  forms  are 
neceflary  ;  but  it  may  be  added,  that  affairs  of  that 
nature  very  fcldom  intereft  the  defpot,  and  whea 
they  dx>t  forms  are  eafily  dlfpenfed  with. 


BARON    DE    TOTT.  9 

Sultan,  excited  my  curiofity,  without  my 
prefuming.  that  a  diredl  mefTage  was  the 
objedl  of  this  vifit.  The  phyfician,  how- 
ever, told  me,  that  Sultan  Muftapha,  in- 
formed of  my  return,  hadexprefsly  com- 
miflioned  him,  to  aflc  me  the  caufe  of 
it?  *'  If  you  have  reafon  to  complain  of 
any  perfon,  he  will  do  you  fpeedyjuf- 
ticcj  I  havejufl  quitted" the  Sultan;  he 
has  talked  to  me  a  great  deal  about  you  ; 
he  knows  your  origin  *',  and  thinks  ic 
gives  him  fome  claim  on  your  zeal.**  I 
defired  him  to  affurc  his  llighnefs  of  my 
gratitude  j  and  although  this  appeared  to 
me  a  perfonal  meafure,.  I  was  perfedly 
convinced,  that  it  was  impofllble  I  fliould 
be  the  only  objecl  of  a  Prince's  folicitude, 
whofe  armies  were  already  in  the  field. 
His  emiflary,  in  fadt,  who  had  orders  to 
carry  him  my  anfwer,  returned' the  next 
day,  at  the  fame  hour,  but  with  more 
ample  infl.ru(ftions.  As  this  Italian  phy- 
fician  ftill  fpoke  with  difficulty  the  Turk- 
ish language,  the  queftions  he  had  to 
A-  5  afk 

♦  It  has  already  been  feen,  that  my  father  was  a« 
Hungarian,  who  had  followed  Prince  Ragotzy  ; 
and  we  know  that  the  Forte  gave  an  afylurn  to  that 
Prince,  and  his  followers. 


lO  MEMOIR  S    OF    THE 

afk  me,  were  committed  to  writing:  I 
wrote  my  anfwers  alfo,  and  this  corref- 
pondence  of  the  Grand  Signior  with  me, 
obtained  me  his  confidence,  and  was 
unknown  to  his  Minifters  until  the  mo- 
ment that  his  Highnefs  required  of  me 
fuch  fervices,  as,  from  their  nature,  be- 
came matter  of  public  notoriety. 

Whilfl  the  Vifir,  Emin-Pacha,  with- 
out any  of  the  talents  neceflary  either  for 
the  Minifter  or  the  General,  blinded  by 
his  own  perfonal  interefl,  fondly  imagined 
that  he  could  preferve  the  former  flation 
in  tranquillity,  and  fill  the  letter  with 
glory,  by  making  peace  before  the  com- 
mencement of  the  war*  His  army, 
daily  increafed  by  the  concourfe  of  frantic 
Mufllilmen,  very  foon  became  the  mod 
formidable  enemy  of  the  empire.  The 
fcarcity  of  provifions,  the  diforder  which 
prevailed  amongft  that  familhed  multi- 
tude, the  plunder  which  followed  from 
the  different  divifions  of  the  army,  the 
maflacres  which  were  its  unavoidable 
confequences,  authority  invariably  weak, 
and  always  defpicable,  when  the  admi- 
niftration  is  evidently  vicious,  every 
thing  announced  a  change  of  fortune. 

The 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  Hi 

rhe  Grand  Signiar,  the  only  perfon 
who  really  interefted  himfelf  in  the  fuc- 
cefs  of  his  army,  had  juil:  given  hisVifir 
a  new  order  of  difpofition  ;  Emin-Pacha 
had  the  prefumption  to  difobey  him;  he 
was  deceived  in  his  politics,  and  his  army 
beaten,  and  difperfed ;  and  a  fecond 
order,  more  pundually  carried  into  exe- 
cution. Toon  placed  his  head  on  the  gate 
of  the  Seraglio,  with  this  infcription  : — 
^^  For  not  having  followed  the  flan  of  the 
campaign  Jent  directly  from  the  Emperor'' 

Moldovandgi  fucceeded  him. — This 
new  Vifir,  more  entcrprizing,  but  not 
more  fkilful  than  his  predeceflbr,  was 
alfo  beaten  ;  but  he  was  lucl^y  enough, 
in  lofing  the  Vifirate,  to  lofe  only  a 
place,  as  dangerous,  as  it  is  eminent, 
and  which  nobody  was  capable  of  fup- 
plying. 

To  the  overbearing  ignorance  of  the 
General,  was  joined  the  impertinent  pre- 
fumption of  the  fubalterns;  and  the 
Turks,  who  drag  after  them  a  vaft  train 
of  artillery,  every  gun  of  which  is  badly 
mounted,  and  as  ill  ferved,  thundered 
upon,  on  every  occafion,  by  the  can- 
non of  the  enemy,  took  no  other  ven- 

geancc 


12  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

geance  for  their  lofTes,  than  by  accufing 
the  Ruffians  of  unfairnefs. — ^*  They  avail' 
themfelves,"  faid  they,  *'  of  the  fupc- 
riority  of  their  fire,  which  it  is,  in  fad, 
impofTible  to  approach;  but  let  theai 
ceafe  that  abominable  fire, — let  them 
come  forward,  like  brave  men,  with 
naked  arms, — and  we  fhall  fee  if  thef© 
infidels  can  refift  the  edge  of  the  true- 
believer's  fabre."  This  multitude  of 
weak  fanatics  had  even  the  ftupidity  to 
reproach  the  Ruffians  for  fome  attacks- 
they  made  during  the  holy  Ramazan. 
The  Grand  Signior,  however,  informed 
that  the  howitzers  had  harrafifed  his  ca- 
valry, defired  me  to  give  him  the  model 
of  thofe  pieces,  the  invention  of  which 
was  entirely  nev/  at  Conflantinople  ;  and 
to  fatisfy  his  curiofity  refpecling  the  fire- 
arms of  every  kind,  made  ufe  of  in 
Europe,  I  fent  this  Prince  the  Memoirs 
of  St.  Remy,  the  plates  of  which  were 
all  he  could  examine  j  and  when  he  went 
out,  he  made  them  be  carried  by  one  of 
the  perfons  of  his  fuite. 

Sultan  Muflapha,  whofe  firfl  cares,  as 
we  have  feen,  were  dircdled  towards  the 
management  of  his. finances,  after  having 

expended,, 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  Vy 

expended,  unfuccefsfully,  immenfe  fumsj. 
began  to  bargain  Avith  his  Minifters  for 
the  frefh  expences  of  the  plans  they  were 
propofingj  and  whilft  they,  on  the  one 
hand,  accufed  him  of  avarice,  he  re- 
proached himfelf,  on  the  other,  with  an 
cafinefs  of  temper,  which  ferved  only, 
he  faid,  to  enrich  the  knaves  who  fur- 
rounded  him.  It  cannot  be  conceived, 
in  truth,  that  this  Prince  could,  with  a= 
tranquil  eye,  behold  his  treafures  dimi* 
niftied,  his  army  difpcrfed,.  and  thofe 
enemies  he  had  no  doubt  of  fubduing 
the  firft  campaign,  not  only  vicElorious^ 
on  the  Danube,  but  threatening  every 
the  Archipelago  with  an  invafion. 

His  adivity  carrying  him  every  where^ 
enabled  him  to  difcover,  at  each  ftep  he 
took,  frefh  abufcs,  of  which  he  com-* 
plained  to  his  Minifters,  never  without 
making  them  tremble,  but  always  inef- 
fe(5lually,  for  the  promotion  of  good  or- 
der ;  which  would  have  been  with  diffi- 
culty re-eftablifhed,  even  with  the  befc 
difpofition  on  their  parts.  The  frefli 
troops,  which  were  on  their  way  to  the. 
army,  from  the  extremity  of  Afia,  paiTed. 
the  Bofphorus,  and. halted  at  Conftanti- 

nople^; 


14  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

nople,  not  fo  much  for  the  purpofe  of  fo- 
liciting,  as  of  exafting  a  compofition 
from  the  Porte.  Whilft  the  chiefs  of 
this  volunteer  militia  were  treated  about 
their  fubfidy  for  the  campaign,  thefe 
Afiatics,  difperfed  throughout  the  capital, 
armed  to  the  very  teeth,  lying  in  wait 
night  and  day,  in  the  ftreets,  to  rob  the 
pafiengers,  haflened  the  negociations, 
from  the  urgent  neceffity  there  was  of 
freeing  the  capital  from  fuch  a  banditti. 
■ — The  government,  too  feeble  to  re- 
llrain  their  infolence,  bargained  to  no 
purpofe,  and  made  concefiions  to  them 
without  fhame.  Amongft  the  number 
of  thefe  vagabonds  v/ho  fucceeded  each 
other,  was  a  troop  from  the  country  of 
Las  J,  who  learn,  on  their  arrival,  that 
fome  JaniiTarics  of  their  company  §,  are 
confined  in  the  fortrefs  of  Yflar  t>    on 

the 

X  The  country  of  Las  extends  the  length  of  the 
South  fide  of  the  Black  Sea,  an-d  includes  the  towns 
of  Synop  and  Trebifonde. 

§  This  company,  which,  I  believe,  is  the  thirty- 
fifth,  is  the  more  numerous,  becaufe  the  natives  of 
Las  never  enter  into  any  other,  and  the  number  in- 
rolled  is  thirty  thoufand. 

f  The  caftle  wherein  the  Janiflaries  who  are  to 
be  punifhed,  or  ftrangled,  are  confined;  an  alter- 
native which  renders  this  habitation  very  perilous. 


BARON    DE    TOT  T.  I  5 

the  Canal.  This  troop  had  already  fet- 
tled their  conditions  of  fcrvice,  and  of 
pay  ;  but  they  fuper-add,  as  a  ncceffary 
article,  the  deliverance  of  thefe  prifoners. 
The  Vifir  is  afraid  either  to  give  way,  or 
to  refufe  compliance  j  fome  expedi- 
ent muft  be  formed.  It  is  agreed,  that 
this  body  of  men  Ihall  pafs  by  the  caftle, 
fire  at  the  gate,  and  that  the  governor, 
apparently  compelled  to  it  by  this  ad  of 
hoilility,  fliall  deliver  up  the  criminals. 
Former  examples  may  juftify  this  ridicu- 
lous.expedient,  but  it  is  no  lefs  a  flriking 
inflance  of  cowardice  in  an  arbitrary  go- 
vernment, becaufe  it  tends  to  difcover 
the  invariable  charadler  of  defpocifm. 
Power  no  fooner  flips  out  of  the  hands  of 
the  defpot,  than  it  is  taken  pofijfTion  of 
by  the  multitude. 

Whilfl:  the  vveaknefs  of  the  govern- 
ment compelled  it  to  fhut  its  eyes  to  the 
excefles  of  a  licentious  foldiery,  the  Mi- 
niflers  fbrove  to  conceal  the  naval  war 
which  threatened  the  empire.  No  Ruffian 
veflel  had  ever  made  its  appearance  at 
Conftantinople,  The  Ruffians,  therefore, 
have  no  fhipsj  or  if,  by  chance,  they 
have  any,  v/hat  does  that  fignify  to  the 

Turks, 


1.6  MEMOIRS    OF    TH-E 

Turk^,  fince  there  is  no  communication, 
between  the  Baltic  and  the  Archipelago  ?- 
The  Danes,  the  Swedes,  whofe  flags  are 
known  to  the  Turks,  could  not  overturn 
that  argument  in  their  minds  j  maps- 
fpread  out  before  their  eyes,  had  no  more, 
efFe(fl ;  and  the  Divan  was  not  yet  per- 
luaded  of  the  polfibility  of  the  fadl,  when- 
they  received  intelligence  of  the  fiege  of 
Coron,.  the  invafion  of  the  Morea,  and 
of  the  appearance  of  twelve  of  theenemy's^ 
line  of  battle  fhips  §. 

The  uncertainty  of  the  Miniflers,  how- 
ever, had  not  prevented  them  from  prepa* 
ring  fome  maritime  forces.  Thirty  fhips 
of  war  were  ordered  to  be  got  ready  with 

the 

§  The  ignorance  of  the  Turks  in  geography, 
furnifhes  anecdotes  ftill  more  ftriking  than  the  above. 
— A  Venetian  AmbaiTador,  coming  to  Conftantino- 
ple,  with  two  (hips  of  war  of  the  Republic,  fell  ia 
with  the  Grand  Signior's  fleet  in  the  Archipelago, 
which,  in  time  of  peace,  makes  an  annual  cruize, 
to  colledl  the  tribute  from  the  Iflknds.  The  Turkifli 
Admiral  invites  his  Excellency  on  board,  to  enter- 
tain him,  and  in  the  courfe  of  converfation,,  afks 
him  if  the  dominions  of  the  Republic  were  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Ruflia  ?  Out  of  patience  at  this 
ignorance,  the  noble  Venetian  replies,  **  Yes ; — 
th^re  is  nothing  but  the  Ottoman  empire  between 
th-eml'*' 


BARON    DE    TOTT^  l!] 

the  utmofl  expedition,  and  nothing  clfe- 
was  looked  for,  with  fo  decided  afuperi- 
ority,  than  the  pleafure  of  indemnifying 
themfelves  in  the  Archipelago,  for  the 
lofles  they  had  fuftained  on  the  Danube. 
Finding,  alfo,  amongft  the  archives  of 
the  empire,  that  the  lafl  war  with  Ruflia 
had  occafioned  the  equipment  of  a  fmall 
fleet  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  halfgallies, 
for  the  purpofe  of  penetrating  into  the 
Sea  of  Zabache,  and  the  particulars 
found  in  the  account  of  the  expences,- 
fpecifying  none  of  the  motives  of  this  ar- 
mament, they  overlooked  the  circuni* 
ftance  that  the  ports  of  Afoph  and  Ta- 
ganrog, then  in  difpute,  had  nothing  to? 
do  with  the  prefent  war.  The  con^ 
ftruflion  of  the  gallies  was  ordered,  and. 
carried  on  with  the  greatefl  expedition. 
Thefe  preparations  increafing,  the 
concourfe  of  foldiers  and  f.iilors  from.^ 
the  two  fleets,  carried  licentioufnefs  to 
fuch  a  pitch,  that  every  day  was  marked 
by  fome  new  cataftrophe,  and  M,  le 
Comte  de  St.  Pried,  AmbafTador  of 
France,  invited"  by  the  feafon  to  his^ 
houfe  on  the  Canal,  unwilling  to  de* 
grivc  himfelf  of  the  pleafure  of  a  walk,. 

or; 


l8  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

or  to  expofe  himfelf  to  the  infults  he  had 
already  experienced  in  his  carriage,  took 
the   refolution   not  to  ftir  out,  as  well 
as  thofe  that  attended  him,  without  their 
bayonets  at  the  end  of  their  fufils.     This 
was  the  only  means  of  fafety  which  could 
procure  refped  to  the  perfon  of  the  Am- 
baflador  from  the  troops  of  banditti  who 
were  daily  pafTing  by  land  and  by  fea  to 
join  the  army.     The  Palace  of  France  in 
the  country,  was  fo  fituated,  as  that  all 
the  boats  which  went  up  the  Canal  muft: 
pafs    under    its    windows,     which    were 
carefully  kept  fhut  on  the  fide  next  the 
fliore.     We   had  gone  out  after  dinner, 
to  take  our  ufual  walk,  and  were  already 
on  the  heights  of  Tarapia,  when  we  heard 
a  pretty  fmart   firing  of  fmall  arms  on 
the  fea,    towards  the  Palace  ;    we  flopt, 
to  form  fome  judgment  of  the  caufe  of 
it,   when  the  cries  of  a  man  coming  to- 
wards us,   determined  M.   de  St.  Prieft 
to  go    and  meet    him,     Underftanding 
that  the  Palace  was  attacked  by  a  band, 
of  thefe  villains,    we  mended   our  pace, 
to    check   their    audacioufnefs,    but   we 
were  too  late;   the  boat  from  which  they 
had  fired  at  the  Palace,  was  already  at  a 

great 


BARON    DE    TOTT.  I9 

great  diflaancc,  and  although  the  Am- 
baflador  efcaped  with  a  few  fhots  through 
his  window-fhutters,  and  fome  broken 
panes  of  glafs,  fro nn  fourteen  or  fifteen 
bullets  which  we  found  in  the  falloon, 
the  infult  appeared  of  fufHcient  innpor- 
tance  to  juftify  a  complaint  to  the  Porte. 
An  interpreter,  fent  for  that  purpofe, 
recounts  the  circumdance  to  the  Reis 
EfFendij  who,  after  liftening  with  every 
apparent  fymprom  of  the  greatefl  con- 
cern, *^What!"  fays  he,  '^  thefe  rafcals 
have  dared  to  infult  the  Palace  of 
France!  They  are  ideotsl— How  can 
they  expedl  to  efcape  punifhment  .^  EVo 
they  not  knov/,  that  on  the  firft  com- 
plaint, they  will  be  fought  after  ? — In- 
deed, I  cannot  but  think  of  it  j — it  is 
abfolute  madnefs.  To  attack  the  Am- 
baflTador  of  France  ! — Had  they  not  on 
their  road  plenty  of  Greek,  Jewifh,  and 
Armenian  houfes  ? — Why  did  they  noc 
attack  them,  inllead  of  bringing  us  into 
a  fcrape  ? 

It  was  thus  that  the  Minifter  lament- 
ed the  neceflity  of  providing  for  an  Am- 
baflador^s  tranquillity,  whilit  nothing  ap- 
peared to  him  more  natural,  than  to  fa- 

crifice 


aO  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

crifice  that  of  the  public.  A  Colonel  of 
the  Janiflaries  had  orders  to  guard  the 
houfe  of  M.  de  St.  Pried.  Officers  of 
that  corps  were  fent,  at  the  fame  time, 
to  the  mouth  of  the  Black  Sea,  to  feize 
the  guilty  perfons,  before  the  departure 
of  the  vefTel,  which  was  to  carry  them  to 
Varna.  We  were  informed  that  they 
were  taken,  and  thrown  into  the  fea ; 
but  fo  feeble  was  the  government,  that 
this  account,  which  we  knew  to  be  a 
falfehood^  had  not  even  the  air  of  proba- 
bility. Some  time  after,  an  adventure 
of  the  fame  kind,  the  caufe  of  which, 
although  lefsferious,  might  have  produ- 
ced difagreeable  confequences,  happened- 
at  my  door.  I  lived  at  Buyukdere,  in 
the  houfe  built  by  M.  de  Vergennes,. 
during  his  embafify  ;  a  quay,  which  was 
likewife  a  highway,  feparated  it  from  the 
fea.  Some  foldiers  who  were  pafling,- 
talked  fo  loud,  that  a  parrot,  whofe  cage 
was  on  a  pretty  high  window,  could  dif- 
tinguifh,  and  repeat  feme  very  free 
language,  with  which,  in  their  gaiety, 
they  were  feafoning  their  converfation- 
They  ftopt  immediately,  and  abufed  the 
pcrfon  who  dared  to  turn  them  into  de- 

rifionj, 


BARON    DE    TOTT.  21 

rifion;  the  parrot  again  repeats  after 
them  i  they  become  furious,  prepare  their 
arms  toafTault  the  houfe,  and  fall  upon 
the  inhabitants.  The  tumult,  however, 
awakened  the  attention  of  a  JanifTary, 
who  kept  guard  in  the  houfe^  and  curi- 
ous to  know  the  caufe  of  it,  he  opens  the 
door  the  very  moment  that  their  rage 
was  going  to  break  forth.  Threatened 
himfelf  with  being  their  vidlim,  he  en- 
ters into  an  explanation,  and  tells  them 
of  the  parrot;  they  are  irritated  at  his 
excufe ;  and  it  was  not  until  they  had 
feen  the  culprit,  who,  fortunately,  ftill 
continued  his  imitations,  that  they  could 
be  appeafed,  and  relinquifh  their  defign. 
A  few  dilhes  of  cofFee,  which  were  ac- 
cepted of  by  them,  put  an  end  to  this 
quarrel,  which  it  was  as  difficult  to  avoid, 
as  to  fore  fee. 

Whilft  tlie  capital,  and  its  environs, 
were  infefted  by  a  licentious  foldiery, 
who  had  no  other  courage  than  that  of 
robbers,  the  provinces,  delivered  up  to 
fimilar  diforders,  and  haralTed  by  the  go- 
vernors with  equal  impunity,  fuffered 
every  fpecies  of  vexation.  The  princi- 
pal objed  of  the  Minifters  was  to  provide 

equally 


22  MEMOIRS    OFT  HE 

equally  for  the  fupply  of  Conftantino- 
ple,  and  the  fubfiftence  of  the  army. 
This,  at  once,  aggravated,  and  multipli- 
ed the  opprefTions.  Meafures,  indeed, 
had  been  fo  badly  concerted,  that  the 
people  could  not  fail  of  fuffering  doubly, 
from  the  no  lefs  cruel,  than  imperious 
precipitation  with  which  the  taxes  were 
levied,  and  from  the  injuftice  of  the  a- 
gents  employed  in  the  colledlion. 

The  Turkifh  government  may,  at  all 
times,  be  confidered  as  an  army  in- 
camped,  of  which  the  commander  in 
chief,  from  the  centre  of  his  head-quar- 
ters, iffues  his  orders  to  forage  in  the 
neighbourhood.  It  is  thus  that  the  Vi- 
fir  provided  for  his  army,  by  the  Black 
Sea  ;  whilft  the  capital,  having  now  no 
other  fubfiftence  than  what  was  drawn 
from  the  coafts  of  the  Archipelago, 
found  it  neceffary  to  infure  that  fubfift- 
ence, by  a  fuperiority  ot  the  naval  force 
prepared  againft  the  Rufiians.  But  al- 
though violence  had  fucceeded  in  haften- 
ing  the  conftrudlion,  in  accelerating  the 
equipment  of  veflels,  and  in  aftembling 
the  multitude  of  human  beings,  who 
were  compelled  to  become  failors,  every 

thing 


BARON    DE    TOTT.  21 

thing  proclaimed  that  ignorance  and 
prefumption  had  dire6ted  the  preparati- 
ons. 

Veflels,  raifed  on  the  fides,  but  whofe 
low  batteries  were  drowned  on  the  leaft 
wind,  could  offer  nothing  to  the  enemy 
but  a  great  deal  of  timber,  and  very  lit- 
tle fire.  Entangled  tackling,  ropes  and 
blocks  which  broke  on  the  fiightefi:  ex- 
ertion, thirty  men  employed  in  the  gun- 
room to  move  the  tiller,  as  they  were  di- 
reded  from  the  deck  j  no  principle  of 
flowage,  no  nautical  knowledge,  encum- 
bered batteries,  cannon  ofdifi^erent  bores; 
fuch  was  the  fl:ate  of  that  armament,  the 
condu6i:  of  which  was  necefifarily  entruft- 
cd  to  men  fo  ignorant,  as  to  be  perfed- 
ly  contented  with  it.  The  feveral  com- 
mands, however,  were  matter  of  inte- 
reft ;  and  the  Captain  Pacha,  who  makes 
a  perquifite  of  the  principal  appoint- 
ments, by  diftributing  the  veflels  of  his 
fleet  to  the  beft  bidder,  allowed  each 
Captain  the  fame  privilege  of  felling  the 
fubordinate  employments  of  his  fhip  ; 
and  this  little  traffic,  confecrated  by  cuf- 
tom,  filled  up  the  meafure  of  thofemal- 
verfations   which  bid   fair   to  annihilate 

the 


^4  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

the  Turkifh  marine,  without  the  inter- 
pofition  of  their  enemies.  Accuftomed, 
until  that  moment,  to  no  other  fervicc 
than  annually  toharrafs  the  Archipela- 
go with  a  fmall  fquadron,  the  Tea  officers 
had  acquired  no  military  principle,  no 
defign,  no  art,  no  experience  of  their 
profeffion  ;  and,  when  the  fleet  failed, 
it  feemed  as  if  they  had  no  other  object 
but  to  colled  a  tribute,  which  nobody 
could  difpute  with  them.  HaJJan  *, 
alone,  an  Algerine  renegado,  appointed 
the  Admiral's  Captain,  appeared  to  em- 
bark with  the  intention  of  making  war: 
but  this  man,  whofe  temerity  is  un- 
known, and  who  always  thought  that 
courage  alone  was  all,  and  fupplied  the 
want  of  every  thing,  was  defirous  of 
fignali^ing  himfelfby  an  invention,  as 
fatal  at  Ichefme,  as  it  appeared  extraor- 
dinary at  Conftantinople.  This  inven- 
tion confifted  of  a  number  of  iron 
bars,  which,  fixed  on  the  gunwale, 
projeded  horizontally  beyond,  the  per- 
pendicular  of  the   water,   in   order  to 

prevent 

*  The  celebrated  Haffan  Pacha,  who,  through 
employments,  military  and  civil,  is  at  prefent  the 
Captain  Pacha. 


BARON     D£    TOT  T.  25 

prevent  the  enemy  from  boarding.  But 
if  this  detail  gives  us  no  great  idea  of  the 
genius  of  the  author,  I  think  I  have 
given  a  fufficient  accurate  notion  of 
the  talents  of  the  Turks,  to  leave 
no  doubt  of  their  admiring  this  in- 
vention. 

The  continuance  of  foutherly  winds, 
by  delaying  the  departure  of  the  fleet, 
inftead  of  ferving  them  to  put  it  in  better 
order,  was  only  favourable  to  the  defer- 
tion  of  fiilors,  and  to  fome  lucrative  op- 
pieflions,  which  the  Captains  continued 
to  exercife,  under  pretence  of  complet- 
ing their  crews.  The  land  army,  in  the 
mean  while,  although  twice  ruined,  was 
become  more  numerous  than  ever  ;  and 
the  Ottoman  empire,  vigoroufly  attack- 
ed by  fea  and  land,  but  oppofing,  on  all 
fides,  forces  three  times  more  numerous 
than  thofe  of  the  enemy,  gave  itfelf  up 
to  all  the  oftentatious  pride  of  what  ap- 
peared to  them  unqueilionable  profpe- 
rity. 

The   abfence  of  the  troops  leaving  a 

little  tranquillity  in    the  capital,  and  the 

prefumptuous  hopes   of  great  fuccefles, 

giving  the  people  a  more  favourable  dif- 

VoL.  III.  B  pofition, 


0.6  MEMOIRSOFTHE 

pofition,  M.  le  Comte  de  St.  Prieft:, 
-wiflied  to  give  an  entertainment  on  the 
marriage  of  the  Dauphin  of  France.  That 
the  Turks  might  partake  of  it  too,  he 
intended  to  add  to  his  other  preparati- 
ons, for  the  balls  and  the  feafls,  which 
the  Europeans  only  could  enjoy,  an  illu- 
mination and  a  fire-work,  which  I  un- 
dertook to  prepare.  Already  the  ball- 
room, built  for  the  purpofe,  was  com- 
pleated  ;  the  fire-works  were  ready, 
and  nothing  remained  to  be  done,  but 
to  arrang;e  the  decorations,  when  the 
news  of  the  defbrudlion  of  both  the  ar- 
mies, by  land  and  fea,  fpread  a  general 
conflernation  throughout  the  capital, 
and  put  an  end  to  all  our  preparations. 

It  was  no  longer  pofTible  to  think  of 
giving  entertainments.  1  he  Grand  Sig- 
nior  in  the  mofl  diftrading  anxiety,  the 
Minifters  defponding,  the  people  in  def- 
pair,  the  capital  reduced  to  the  dread  of 
famine  and  invafionj  fuch  was  the  prefent 
fituation  of  an  empire,  v/hich,  a  month 
before,  thought  itfelf  fo  formidable.  Ig- 
norance, however,  which  always  attempts 
to  flatter  that  pride  which  is  its  infepara- 
ble  companion,  beheld    this   double  ca- 

t  aft  r  op  he., 


BARON     DETOTT.  If 

taftrophe,  only  as  the  impenetrable   de- 
crees of  that  Providence,    to  which  it  is 
necefTary  blindly  to  fubnnit.     Not  a  per- 
fon  amongft  the  Turks  could  difcover, 
that  an   undifciplined  multitude  contri- 
butes  more    effeclually   to   its   own  de- 
ftrudlion,  than  all  the  efforts  of  an  oppo- 
fing  enemy.    But  if  the  want  of  difcipline 
alone  was  fufficient  to  ruin  the  land  army 
at  Craoul,  a  concurrence  of  the  mod  fo- 
vereign  folly,  on  the  part  of  the  Admi- 
ral, and  his   Captains,    was  neceflary  to 
complete  the  deftrudion  of  the  fleet   at 
Tchcfme. 

This  fleet,  failing  from  the  channel  of 
the  Dardanelles  to  feek  the  Ruffians,  af- 
ter bending  its  courfe  towards  Chio, 
had  come  to  anchor  on  the  coall  of  Afla, 
between  the  main  and  the  Spalmadore 
Iflands,  before  the  harbour  of  Tchefme. 
Some  frigates,  newly  built,  with  the  ufe 
of  which  the  Turkifh  marine  had  been 
unacquainted  before  this  war,  anchored 
on  the  wings  of  that  long  line,  were  to 
give  fignals  of  the  ennemy's  approach, 
and  had  orders  to  let  them  embarrafs 
themfelves  in  this  Streight,  where  the 
thirty  fliips,  well  difl:anced,  and  riding 
B  2  at 


aS  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

at  four  anchors,  were  to  wait  for  them. 
This  ingenious  ambufcade,  thus  pre- 
pared, the  Ruffian  veflels,  difpofcd  in  a 
more  military  manner,  after  doubling 
Chio,  and  reconnoitering  the  advanced 
Turkifh  fliips,  flretched  themfelves  a- 
long  to  the  very  center  of  the  line,  with- 
out their  making  the  fmalleft  moiion  to 
get  underway. 

The  two  Admirals,  however,  finding 
themfelves  on  each  other's  beam,  the 
Ruflian,  after  giving  him  his  broad- 
fide,  came  nearer  to  the  Turk,  to  throw 
fire-balls  into  him,  and  blew  up  himfelf 
during  this  manoeuvre.  HaiTan  Pacha, 
at  that  time,  had  a  flag,  (and  who  fur- 
nilhed  me  himfelf  the  particulars  I  am 
now  relating)  after  feeing  his  veflel  cf- 
cape  from  this  havock,  thought  himfelf 
out  of  danger,  when  he  perceived  his 
ftern  in  flames,  and  his  veflfel  on  the 
point  of  fufFcring  the  fame  fate.  Al- 
ready had  his  crew  thrown  themfelves 
into  the  fea,  into  which  he  precipitated 
himfelf,  and  was  lucky  enough  to  get 
holdof  the  wreck  of  the  enemy's  Admi- 
ral ,  he  had  the  further  good  fortune  to 
efcape  the   fplinters  of   his    own    fhip, 

where 


BARON    DE    TOTT.  lg 

where  the  fire  was  not  long  in  reaching 
the  powder  magazine. 

It  is  eafy  to  perceive,  that  by  propor- 
tioning the  calculation  to  the  importance 
of  the  lofs  on  one  fide,  and  on  the  other, 
that  of  the  RiilTians,  which  was  infinitely 
more  confiderable,  might  juftify  the  re- 
folution  they  at  firft  adopted,  of  not  re- 
newing their  attack  on  the  Turks  ;  but 
the  Jatter,  whofe  military  knowledge 
fcarcely  extended  to  the  efFeds  of  falt- 
petre,  terrified  at  that  which  it  had  jufl: 
produced,  calculated  only  the  danger  of 
being  blown  up  fliould  the  Ruffians  a- 
gain  attack  them.  Tchefme  was  imme- 
diately the  afylum  into  which  the  whole 
Turkifli  fleet  retired  in  the  greatefi  dif- 
order,  and  fomc  cannon,  landed  in  hade, 
and  placed  on  the  two  capes  at  the 
mouth  of  that  harbour,  quieted  the  fugi- 
tives. 

It  feems  as  if  the  Rufiians  were  em- 
ployed, during  this  interval,  in  obferv- 
ing  the  movements  of  the  enemy  ;  and 
one  may  readily  believe,  that  they 
heard,  with  aftonilhment,  the  next  day, 
what  had  pafTed  at  Tchefme.  Unable 
to  attribute  this  (Irange  condud  of  the 
B  q  Turks 


^O  MEMOIRSOFTHE 

Turks  to  any  other  motive  than  a  panic, 
when  the  nnoft  unpromifing  enterprize 
may  ahiDoIt  always  be  ruccefsfully  at- 
tempted, they  preiented  themfelves  be- 
fore the  harbour,  into  which  they  fent 
two  fire-fhips.  At  this  appearance  of 
the  Ruffians,  the  Turks,  flili  terrified  at 
the  events  of  tiie  preceding  day,  were 
more  bent  on  faving  therpfelves  by  land, 
than  on  defending  their  fhips.  But  the 
fight  of  two  vefiels,  (leering  towards  the 
harbour,  again  awakened  in  them  the 
idea  of  conqued  i  and  taking  them  for 
deferters,  far  from  endeavouring  to  fiak 
them,  they  put  up  prayers  for  their  fafe 
arrival,  fully  determined  to  put  their 
crews  in  irons,  and  anticipating  the  plea- 
fure  of  leading  them  in  triumph  to  Con- 
flantinople  *. 

Thefe  fuppofed  defcrters,  however, 
entering  the  port  without  difficulty,  be- 
layed their  rudders,  hoifted  their  grap- 
pling irons,  and  foon  vomited  forth  fuch 
clouds  of  flame,  as  fet  the  whole  fleet  on 
fire  5  the  harbour  of  Tchefme,  incumber- 
ed with  vefTels,  with    powder,  and  with 

cannon, 

*  This  anecdote  was  authenticated  to  me  by  the 
fame  HaiTan  Bey  whom  I  have  already  mentioned. 


B  ARON     UE    TOTT.  3I 

cannon,  exhibited  the  fpedlacle  of  a  voi- 
cano,  in  which  the  whole  Turkifh  fleet 
was  fwallovved  up.  If  this  cataftrophe 
humbled  theOttonnan  pride,  a  ftill  more 
urgent  necefTity  foon  demanded  the  at- 
tention of  the  Miniflcrs.  Conftantino- 
ple  was  menaced  with  an  approaching 
famine.  ~  The  deftrudlion  of  the  Turkifh 
fleet,  in  faft,  by  abandoning  the  Archi- 
pelago to  the  Ruffians,  prevented  the  fup- 
ply  of  Conftantinople  j  and  the  enemy 
might  even  force  the  Streights,  prefent 
themfelvcs  at  the  point  of  the  Seraglio, 
fack  the  city,  and  didate  the  law  to  the 
Grand  Signior-  The  difmay  was  gene- 
ral ;  and  never  were  apprehenfions  bet- 
ter founded.  Ignorance,  which  always 
does  itfelf  juftlce,  when  terror  gets  the 
better  of  prefumption,  made  no  objedli- 
on  to  the  Grand  Signior's  order,  to  aban- 
don to  me,  without  referve,  the  defence 
of  the  Dardanelles,  and  to  fubmit  to 
my  difcretion  all  refources  for  the  de- 
fence of  the  capital.  This  commiflion, 
however,  could  not  be  granted  me  with- 
out the  neceflary  forms,  and  the  Porte 
loft  no  time  in  filling  them  up,  with  the 
permilTion  of  the  Ambafllidor  of  France. 
B4  The 


32  M  EMOIRS     OF    THE 

The  Rels  Effendi,  at  the  fame  time,  in- 
vited and  prefled  me,  to  concert  with 
him  fuch  meafures  as  I  might  think  ne- 
ceflary  in  fo  urgent  a  conjundture. 
•  I  fhall  be  fo  frequently  under  a  necef- 
fity  of  fpeaking  of  the  Turkifh  Minifters, 
that  it  may  be  ufeful  to  give  fome  previ- 
ous notions  of  the  charaders  of  fuch  of 
them  as  were  then  in  office  ;  notions  ab- 
folutely  neceflary  to  thefe  details  into 
which  I  fhall  be  indifpenfably  led  by 
circumftanccs. 

We  have  already  feen,  that  the  Grand 
Signior,  fnce  hisaccefiion  to  the  throne, 
occupied  in  fchemes  of  ceconomy,  be- 
held with  regret,  his  treafures  diffipated 
in  a  war  which  procured  him  no  fhare  of 
that  glory  after  which  he  thirfted.  This 
Prince,  however,  could  not  charge  the 
Miniflers  about  his  perfon  with  the  bad 
fuccefs  of  his  armsj  and  if  he  thought 
them  incapable  of  remedying  thefe  mis- 
fortunes, it  was  not  in  his  power,  un- 
fortunately, to  fubftitute  men  of  greater 
talents  in  their  places.  Befides,  it  was  in 
the  army  that  diftinguifhed  talents  were 
wanting  ;  and  the  Minifters  in  pofTeffion 
of  their  mafter's   favour,  had  too  much 

addrefs 


BARON    DE    TOTT.  ^3 

addrefs  to  wifh  to  perfuade  him  that  it 
would  be  to  his  advantage  to  remove 
them  to  a  diftance  from  his  perfon. 

Ifmael  Bay  poflefled,  to  an  eminent 
degree,  the  difficult  art  of  governing  his 
Sovereign,  of  condu6ling  all  his  affairs 
without  hazarding  his  perfonal  tranquil- 
lity, and  without  taking  him  from  his. 
pleafures. 

Ifed  Bey,  Superintendant  of  the  Mint, 
was  a  particular  favourite  of  his  maflcr, 
without  exciting  either  jealoufy  or  hatred; 
prudent  enough  not  to  afpire  to  be  Mi- 
nifter,  he  made  ufe  of  his  credit  only  to 
moderate  the  frequent  ill  humour  of  the 
Grand  Signior  towards  his  Minifters, 
and  dedicated  all  his  attention  to  the  in-, 
digent  and  unfortunate,  whom  he  daily 
affifted,  . 

Me.lek  Pacha,  Caymakam,  or  Deputy 
of  the  Grand  Vifir,  and  brother-in-law  to 
the  Grand  Signior,  was  no  otherwife 
diflinguifhed  in  that  important  office, 
than  by  his  noble  countenance,  which 
had  induced  the  Sultana  to  demand  him 
of  her  brother.  And  the  High  Trca- 
furer,  lefs  in  favour,  but  proud  of  a  fort 
of  fame  acquired  by  his  father  in  the 
S  5  pre 


34  MEMOIRSOFTttE 

preceding  war,  confident  of  the  reputa- 
tion he  was  himfelf  about  to  obtain, 
more  vehement  than  annbitions,  was  alfo 
more  remarkable  for  his  acflivity,  than 
for  his  iinderftanding.  The  Minifters 
of  the  fecond  order,  the  Mufti  himfelf, 
had  too  little  influence  in  the  govern- 
ment to  merit  any  relation  of  their  per- 
fonal  qualities. 

Ifmael  Bey,  who  was  appointed  to 
confer  with  me  on  the  (late  of  the  Dar- 
danelles, and  the  danger  with  which  the 
capital  was  threatened,  thought  to  con- 
ceal the  fears  of  the  government,  by  en- 
veloping our  conference  in  the  veil  of 
night.  He  received  me  in  his  private 
houfe,  where  I  found  him  taken  up  with 
an  affair,  the  importance  of  which  made 
a  powerful  diverfion  from  that  which 
brought  us  together.  This  Turk,  re- 
fined in  his  moil  trivial  luxuries,  but 
childifhly  refined,  was  defirous  of  find- 
ing two  Canary  birds  which  could  fing 
the  fame  air ;  his  attendants  had  fearched 
the  whole  city  in  vain,  and  the  Minifler 
was  employing  other  methods  to  gratify 
his  whim,  when  I  arrived  to  concert 
with  him  the  means  of  averting  the  cataf- 
trophe  which  menaced  Conflantinople. 

He 


BARON    DE    TOTT.  35 

He  was  not  better  acquainted  with  the 
ftate  of  the  Dardanelles  than  myfelf;  but 
it  was  evident,  from  the  letters  of  Mol- 
dovandgi  Pacha,  formerly  Grand  Vifir, 
and  whole  difgrace  went  no  further  than 
his  appointment  to  the  fubordinate  go- 
vernment of  the  caftles  on  the  Canal, 
with  the  title  of  Defender  of  the  Darda- 
nelles, that  this  barrier,  hitherto  deemed 
impregnable,  was  incapable  of  refill:- 
ing  the  feebleft  attack.  The  RufTiari 
fquadron,  which  paraded,  with  a  favour- 
able wind,  in  fight  of  the  ftrit  caftles, 
had  only  to  take  advantage  of  it,  to  pe- 
netrate into  the  Marmorean  Sea,  and 
come  under  the  walls  of  the  Seraglio,  to 
give  law  to  the  Grand  Signior. 

Such  was  the  fituation  of  this  haughty 
Court,  whofe  humiliating  pofition,  (o 
juftly  calculated  to  produce  the  moil 
anxious  uneafinefs,  was  owing:  entirely 
to  the  ignorance  of  her  Miniilers,  and 
the  knavery  of  her  fubordinate  officers. 
The  obfervations  which  I  was  daily  in  the 
way  of  making  on  the  caftles  more  im- 
mediately in  the  neighbourhood  of  Con- 
ftantinople,  built  on  the  fame  fyftem, 
furnifhed  me  with  fufficicnt  hints  of  what  1 

had 


36  MEMOIR  S    OF    THE 

had  to  do  on  my  arrival  at  the  Dardanelles. 
The  manner  of  bringing  them  to  bear  on 
fhips  of  war  was  very  difficult.  Two 
fhips,  which  not  having  been  able  to 
join  their  fleet,  had  efcaped  the  confla- 
gration, and  were  at  this  time  at  anchor 
without  the  outer  caftles,  might  have 
been  carried  off  by  the  Rufllan  fquadron 
before  my  arrival ;  and  the  dock-yard 
contained  only  one  old  veffel,  declared 
unfit  for  fervice.  I  fettled  it,  however, 
with  the  Reis  Effendi,  that  this  veflcl, 
refitted  in  hafl:e,  provided  with  artillery, 
ornamented  with  an  Admiral's  flag,  and 
laden  with  thick  planks,  fliovels,  and 
pick-axes,  and  other  utenfils,  which  I 
pointed  out,  fliould  fail  as  foon  as  pof- 
fibe,  to  follow  me  to  the  Dardanelles. 

The  captain  of  a  Maltefe  corfair,  taken 
fome  years  before,  and  who  thinking  to 
better  his  condition  by  aflijmingthe  title 
of  Knight  of  Malta,  had  only  rendered 
his  ranfom  the  more  diflicult,  was  groan- 
ing in  irons.  M.  le  Comte  de  St;  Prieft 
was  defirous  of  embracing  this  opportu- 
nity to  procure  the  releafe  of  this  unfor- 
tunate man.  With  this  view,  1  plead- 
ed the  neceffity  of  preparing  fire-fliips, 

and 


BARONDETOTT.  37 

and  feigning  ignorance  in  that  refpedl, 
to  give  a  better  colour  to  the  demand  I 
made  of  this  flave,  I  boafted  his  talents, 
and  declared  that  he  alone  was  capable 
of  afTifling  me.  I  obtained  permiflion 
for  him  to  follow  me  with  the  vefTel,  and 
received  the  moft  pofitive  alTurances  of 
his  liberty,  if  I  difcovered  in  him  thofe 
talents  I  declared  him  to  pofTefs.  I  was 
very  certain  of  being  able  to  give  him  all 
thofe  which  he  might  not  already  have  of 
that  nature;  but  I  could  fcarcely  forefee, 
what  very  foon  after  happened,  that  this 
man,  apprized  by  the  Turks  of  the  views 
I  had  upon  him,  was  fo  fhallow  as  not 
to  fee  into  my  motives,  and  to  difclaim 
me.  We  fhall  prefently  fee  a  whimfical 
confequence  of  an  infinuation,  of  which 
charity  was  the  only  motive. 

The  Grand  Signior's  impatience  to 
have  me  at  the  Dardanelles,  did  not  per- 
mit me  to  wait  for  any  of  the  materials 
which  were  neceifary  to  begin  my  opera- 
tions J.     His  Highnefs  had  given  orders 

that 

%  From  the  flattering  hope  of  ruling  the  univerfe, 
the  tranfitioD  was  fo  rapid  to  the  idea  of  annihila- 
tion, that  at  the  news  of  the  appearance  of  the  Ruf- 
fians, all  Conftantinople  loft  their  fenfes;  they  put 

up 


38  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

that  every  thing  fhould  be  under  my  di- 
re6lion.  I  demanded  a  Commiflary,  and 
Muflapha  Bey,  grandfon  to  the  cele- 
brated Dganum  Codgaf ,  was  appoint- 
ed, and  I  imcdiately  freighted  a  French 
fhip,  to  convey  me  to  the  Dardanelles. 
The  Commiflary  of  the  Porte  fet  out  a 
few  hours  before  me,  and  the  orders  he 
carried  giving  me  full  authority  over 
Moldovandgi  Pacha,  did  not  much  dif- 
pofe  him  in  my  favour.  1  thought  it 
fafer,  too,  not  to  rely  too  much  on  the 
myfterious  engagement  of  bread  and 
fait,  by  which  we  have  already  feen  this 
man  enter  into  an  inviolable  covenant  of 
friendlhip  with  me.  The  dread,  how- 
ever, in  which  he  was  kept  by  the  letters 
he  received,  and  the  fear  with  which  he 
was  infpired  by  the  prefence  of  an  enemy 

ac- 

irp  public  prayers  for  the  fuccefs  of  my  endeavours ; 
and  the  Grand  Signior,  who  confided  in  my  zeal, 
and  who,  unfortunately,  had  nothing  better  to  do 
for  the  moment,  thought  he  could  not  breathe  un- 
til he  had  fent  me  off. 

■f  Dganum  Codga  was  Admiral  at  the  time  of 
the  revolution,  which,  after  dethroning  Sultan 
Achmet,  continued  to  threaten  his  fucceiTor.  I'he 
chief  of  the  rebels  was  killed  in  the  Divan  by  this 
Admiral,  who  by  his  firranefs  and  prudence  re- 
eftablifhed  order. 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  39 

accuftomed  to  beat  him,  made  him  dif- 
femble  his  difcontent.  This  gave  me 
time  to  appeafe  him,  in  which  I  fucceed- 
ed,  by  flattering  his  vanity,  and  we  had 
no  apparent  difference  during  my  flay  ac 
the  Dardanelles.  He  only  breathed  out 
his  ill  humour  in  his  firft  letters  to  the 
Porte,  and  the  little  efFe6t  they  produced, 
foon  put  a  flop  to  his  complaints. 

My  firfl  care-  was  to  examine  the  ftatc 
of  the  caflles  ;  but  it  was  enough  to  cafl 
an  eye  on  the  foldiers  entrufted  with 
their  defence,  to  conclude  that  there  was 
no  more  dependence  to  be  placed  on  the 
defenders  than  on  the  fortifications.  The 
panic  had  fo  far  taken  poffcffion  of  their 
minds,  that  they  talked  loudly  of  aban- 
doning the  batteries  on  the  firfl  cannon- 
fhot. 

The  eftablifhed  permanence  of  the 
Turkifh  garrifons  converting  every  fol- 
dierintoa  domicilared  citizen,  furnifhes 
him  with  too  many  foreign  objects  of  at- 
tention, not  to  divert  him  from  the  fole 
defence  of  the  citadel  wherein  he  is 
placed ;  his  cares  extend  without  the 
walls  j  the  Turkifli  difcipline,  always 
fevere,   an^  never  exa6t,  is  not  fufiicient 

to 


40  MEMOI  R  S     OF    T  HE 

to  detain  him.  One  has  only  to  throw  a 
fingle  glance  on  the  conftrudtion  of  the 
Dardanelles,  to  perceive  the  caufes  of 
this  defertion.  Dry  walls,  raifed  nnore 
than  thirty  feet  above  the  batteries  on  a 
level  with  the  water,  threatened  to  crum- 
ble to  pieces  on  the  guns  and  the  gun- 
ners, on  the  firft  volley  from  the  Ruf- 
fians. The  nature  of  this  defence  be- 
came more  dangerous  for  the  Turks, 
than  even  the  attack  of  the  enemy. 

An  artillery  formidable  in  appearance, 
from  the  largenefs  of  the  bore,  but  little 
to   be  dreaded  after  the  firft  fire,    from 
the  (lownefs  with  which  thefe  enormous 
fwivels  could  be  fervcd,  formed  the  prin- 
cipal batteries  of  the  cartles  of  Europe 
and   of  Afia,   the  fire  of  which  crofTed 
each    other    at    the   Dardanelles,     but 
fcarcely  met  at  the  two  caflies  at  the  en- 
trance.    This  artillery,  entirely  of  brafs, 
without    carriages,     and    without   trun- 
nions, on  flanting  pieces  of  wood,  whilfl: 
a  heap  of  ftones  propped  up  the  breaches, 
and  hindered  the  recoil.     A  number  of 
other  pieces,    lying  on  the  fand,  as  well 
as  feveral  mortars,  feemed  to  refemble 
more  the  ruins  of  a  fiege,  than  difpofi- 

tions 


BARON    D£    TOTT.  4I 

tions  to  ftand  one.  Such  was  the  (late 
of  the  Dardanelles  when  I  arrived,  and 
the  Ruffian  fquadron  of  feven  fiiips  uf 
the  line,  two  of  which  were  three- 
deckers,  and  two  frigates,  had  only  to 
avail  themfelves,  unqueftionably,  of  the 
favourable  wind  which  enabled  them  to 
block  up  the  mouth  of  the  Streight,  to 
attempt  an  enterprize,  from  which  Mr. 
Elphinfton  looked  for  fuccefs,  and  againfl 
which  the  Turks  had  nothing  to  op- 
pofe.. 

The  channel  of  the  Dardanelles,  fitu- 
ated  at  fifty  leagues  weft  of  Conftantino- 
ple,  between  the  Archipelago,  and  the 
little  Sea  of  Marmora,  ftrctches  from  the 
coaft  of  Troy,  as  far  as  Gallipoli,  oppo- 
fite  to  Lampfacus.  This  fpace  of  about 
twelve  leagues,  unequal  in  breadth,  af- 
fords different  points  of  view,  where  the 
lands  of  Europe  and  Afia,  feparated  by 
this  channel,  approach  each  other  with- 
in three  or  four  hundred  toifes  §.  It  is 
on  the  narroweft  part  of  the  channel^ 
three  leagues  from  the  entrance,  on  the 
fide  of  the  Archipelago,   that  the  caftlesj 

called 

§  A  toife  19  fix  French,  confequently,  foraething 
more  than  fix  Englifh  feet. 


42  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

called  the  Dardanelles,  are  built,  from 
whence  the  fhot  eafily  traverfes  from  one 
fide  to  the  other.  This  point  of  defence 
has  been  a  long  tioie  the  only  barrier 
for  the  fecurity  of  Conftantinople.  A- 
larmed,  at  lengthy  but  flill  as  ignorant 
as  ever,  the  Turks  have  built  two  caftles 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Streight,  at  the  dij' 
tancc  of  about  ff teen  hundred  toijesy  which 
renders  the /loot  uncertain^  and  the  defence 
in/ujfficicnt, 

I  have  already  fpoken  of  the  two  Turk- 
ifli  fhips  of  war,  which  the  delay  of  equip- 
ment at  Conftantinople  had  prevented 
from  failing  with  the  fleet,  and  faved 
them  from  the  cataflrophe  of  Tchefm^. 
Thefe  veflels  were  anchored  between  the 
two  caftles,  but  they  were  anchored 
fo  far  out,  that  they  might  eafily  have 
been  carried  off  by  the  enemy's  fqua- 
dron.  My  firft  care  was  to  give  or- 
ders to  thefe  Ihips  to  enter,  that  they 
might  bring  their  broadfides  to  bear, 
fo  as  to  fupport  the  batteries  of  the  caf- 
tles, by  narrowing  the  opening  of  the 
channel.  On  an  infpedtion  of  the  offi- 
cers and  crews,  however,  I  was  forced 
to  fufpend  that  order,  which  they  ap- 
peared 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  43 

peared  to  be  incapable  of  carrying  into 
execution.  The  wind,  although  favou- 
rable, was  not  fufficient  to  extricate  them 
from  their  dangerous  pofition  ;  and  this 
pofition  became  exceflively  critical  the 
third  day  after  my  arrival. 

WhiKl  I  was  at  the  European  caftle, 
fituated  at  the  Streight's  mouth,  the  Ruf* 
rianfquadron  coming  in  a  line  out  of  the 
Gulph  of  Efnos,  hawled  along  the  coaft 
of  Europe  towards  the  point  of  the  caf- 
tle,  and  had  the  appearance,  by  this 
manoeuvre,  rather  to  intend  falling  upon 
the  two  Ihips,  to  carry  them  oflf,  than  to 
attempt  forcing  the  pafifage.  Either  pro- 
je6t  was  very  eafy  of  execution.  A  fin- 
gle  frigate  would  have  met  with  no  more 
rcfiftance  from  the  two  fhips  of  the  line, 
than  the  whole  fquadron  would  have  en- 
countered from  the  caftles.  The  only 
remaining  advantage  we  poiTcfled,  and 
which  it  was  of  the  utmoft  importance  to 
preferve,  was  the  enemy's  ignorance  of 
our  extreme  weaknefs.  The  manoeuvre 
of  their  fquadron,  fhewed  that  they  were 
afraid  of expofing  themfelves  to  the  fire 
of  heavy  batteries;  I  had,  however,  to 
oppofe   to  them  only  one  iron  culverin, 

bored, 


44  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

bored,  indeed,  for  a  ball  of  fixty  pounds. 
The  Turks  had  abandoned,  rather  than 
placed  this  piece  without  the  caftle ;  it 
was  fupported  by  two  thick  planks,  and 
pointed  perpendicularly  towards  the 
courfe  of  the  fquadron. 

A  promontory,  one  hundred  toifcs 
forward,  on  which  were  placed  fome  can- 
non of  fmall  bore,  concealed  this  culve- 
r+n,  which  could  not,  in  this  pofuion, 
be  difcovered  by  the  Ruffians,  u/itii  the 
monnent  of  their  quitting  the  Gulph, 
and  at  the  very  inftant  when  they  would 
be  expofed  to  its  fire  i  but  the  cape  leav- 
ing the  creft  of  the  walls,  as  well  as  the 
houfes  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  for- 
trefs,  expofed,  the  fquadron  gave  us 
their  broadfides  ;  and  this  brifk,  but 
ineffedual  cannonade,  might  have  pro- 
duced the  good  effedls  of  accuftoming 
the  Turks  to  fire,  had  they  not  been  ut- 
terly incapable  of  difcipline.  They  d'\{^ 
appeared  at  the  firft  fliot,  and  1  had  the 
utmoft  difficulty  to  keep  with  me  feven 
or  eight  men  to  ferve  the  culverin,  the 
only  means  of  defence  I  was  mafler  of. 
Still  it  was  neceffary  to  wait  till  the  ene- 
my placed  themfelves  in  the  line  of  its 

fire: 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  45 

fire  :  this  piece  was  immoveable,  but 
that  very  immobility  enfured  the  fuccefs 
of  the  firll  Ihot,  which  was  fired  at  a  fri- 
gate belonging  to  their  van.  This  fri- 
gate immediately  fell  aftern,  and  the  fe- 
cond  fhot  was  ready  for  the  following 
veflel  J  but  the  cannonade  of  the  Ruffi- 
ans continued  beyond  the  cape,  and  the 
fleet  went  about,  after  having  fired  eight 
or  nine  hundred  fhot  over  our  heads.  I 
obferved  that  feveral  of  thefe  balls  burfi: 
in  the  air,  and  they  brought  me  fome 
(hells  which  had  not  burft.  This  at- 
tempt, repeated  three  fucceflive  days,  in 
the  fame  order,  and  at  the  faaie  hour,  by 
obliging  me  to  defend  this  poll,  prevent- 
ed me  from  preparing  more  efficacious 
means  of  defence  ;  but  1  tried  an  expe- 
riment which  appeared  to  me  likely  to 
drive  away  the  enemy  from  the  coafi. 
With  this  view,  on  my  arriving  in  the 
evening  at  the  Dardanelles,  I  made  them 
draw  out  a  fmall  piece  of  cannon,  taken 
from  the  Venetians,  and,  after  having 
made  them  heat  fome  balls,  and  loaded 
the  piece,  I  gave  the  fpcdlators,  who 
always  followed  me  in  crowds,  a  fmall 
fpecimen  of  red  hot  bullets.  The  Pa- 
cha, 


46  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

cha,  and  the  Turks,  who  faw  this  experi- 
ment, already  imagined  the  Ottoman 
empire  avenged  for  the  burning  of  its 
fleet.  Grates,  and  coals,  and  bellowg, 
were  preparing  during  the  night,  at  the 
battery  on  the  cape,  which  the  Ruffians 
had  always  preferred  cannonading  ;  but 
if  the  Turks  ftrove  eagerly  to  execute  the 
orders  I  had  jufl  given,  fome Greeks  took 
as  good  care,  no  doubt,  to  acquaint  the 
Ruffians  with  it :  their  fleet  approached 
thecoafl  no  more,  and  they  feemed  to  li- 
mit their  future  projedls  to  the  fiege  of 
Lemnos. 

The  firfl  ufe  I  made  of  the  tranquillity 
1  had  jufl  procured  myfelf,  was  to  make 
fure  of  the  two  fhips,  which  appeared  to 
be  the  bone  of  contention.  I  loft  no  time 
in  fending  them  about  four  hundred  Jews, 
whom  we  colleded  at  the  two  caflles, 
and  who,  in  fpite  of  the  Sabbath,  la- 
boured to  tow  thefe  veffels  out  of  dan- 
ger. This  operation,  too,  taking  them 
out  of  the  line  of  the  currents,  a  frefh 
wind,  which  blew  a  few  days  after, 
brought  them  up  to  the  fecond  caftles 
where  their  artillery  was  more  neceliary. 

The 


BARON    DE    TOTT.  47 

The  fiiperfluous  waters  which  fall  into 
the  Black  Sea,  and  which  it  is  unable  to 
evaporate,  poured  into  the  Mediterrane- 
an by  the  Thracian  Bofphorus,  and  the 
Propontis,  form  fuch  violent  currents  at 
the  Dardanelles,  that  (hips,  with  all  their 
fails  fpread,  can  fcarcely  itenn  them.   Be- 
fides,  the  pilots  mud  obferve,  when  they 
havefufficient  wind,  to  fhape  th^ir  courfc 
in  fuch  a  manner,  as  to  prefent  the  lead 
poflible  refiftance  to  the  force  of  the  wa- 
ter.    Tlve    fludy   of  this    is    neceflarily 
founded  on  the  direction  of  the  currents, 
which,  driven  from  one  point  to  another, 
form    obflacles   to  the   navigation,    and 
would  occafion  the  greatefl  riiks   to    the 
mariner,  if  proper  attention  were  not  gi- 
ven  to    this   hydographical   knowledge. 
This  was  molt  afiurediy  the  only  fort  of 
inftrudion  tne  pilots  of  the  two  Turkifh 
(hips  were  capable  of  affording  me  ;    and 
1  derived,  from  their  courfe,   a  very  ufe- 
ful  infight  into    the  fituations  which   ap- 
peared to  me  the  moft  advantageous  for 
the   defence   of  the   channel.     I  law,   in 
fa6b,  that  a  battery,  placed  on  the  Pointe 
des  Barhiers.  (Barber's   Point)    between 
the  firfl:  and  fccond  caflles,   by  making  a 

crofs 


48  MEMOIRS    OF   THE 

crofs  fire  with  another  battery,  which 
might  be  creeled  at  a  proper  diftance, 
on  the  promontory,  on  the  European 
fide,  would  give  the  Turks  the  advan- 
tage of  battering  the  ftem  and  ftern  of 
fuch  vefTels  as  might  attempt  to  force  the 
paflage ;  whilft  the  enemy,  to  return 
both  their  broadfidcs,  muft  lay  their  fide 
to  the  currents,  a  manoeuvre  which  would 
infallibly  compel  them  to  drive  with  the 
ftream.  This  difpofition  would  alfo  give 
the  Turkifh  artillery  the  additional  ad- 
vantage of  employing  bar-Iliot,  with  ef- 
fedt,  againft  their  fails,  at  full  ftretch, 
from  the  frefli  wind,  neceflary  for  at- 
tempting the  paffage,  which  mud  foon 
be  (battered,  and  unfit  even  to  fecure 
the  vefiels  againfb  being  wrecked  upon 
the  coafl:.  Another  powerful  motive, 
decided  me  to  adopt  this  fyftem  of  de- 
fence. Thefe  batteries  commanded  the 
anchorage  of  the  Tacbes  Blanches  *,  (the 
White  Spots),     They  would  keep  up  a 

fire, 

*  A  Creek  in  the  channel,  on  the  coaft  of  Afia, 
between  the  firll  and  fecond  caftles.  This  is  the 
only  anchoring  ground  of  the  channel,  where  the 
enemy  could  have  attempted  to  eftablifh  themfelves, 
afier  forcing  the  pafTage  of  the  firft  gut. 


BARON     D  E    TOT  T.  45 

fire,  almofl:  uninterruptedly,  to  the  Dar- 
danelles ;  and  it  was  clear  to  me,  that 
this  difpofition  mud  enfure  the  fafcty  of 
Conftantinople,  if  the  Turks  would  but 
tolerably  ferve  the  artillery  I  was  about 
to  place.  Another  point,  nearer  the 
caftles  of  the  Dardanelles,  in  Europe, 
called  la  Point e  des  Moulin s^  (the  Mill 
Point,)  being  likewife  capable  of  crofT- 
ing  the  fire  from  the  battery  of  the  Bar- 
bier^Sy  and  the  Afiatic  caftle,  feemed 
proper  for  the  conftru6lion  of  another 
battery,  and  I  determined  to  eflablifh  a 
fourth,  on  the  banks  of  the  Simois,  to 
ferve  by  way  of  epaulement  to  the  fortrcfs 
which  joins  it ;  and  which,  for  the  reafon 
I  have  already  given,  was  not  tenable. 

Whilfl:  I  was  taken  up  with  thefe  ar- 
rangements, and  the  ncceffary  orders 
were  given  to  colle6b  the  inhabitants  of 
the  neighbouring  villages,  to  execute 
this  work  by  Corvecs-\y  Moldovandgi 
Pacha,  who  wifhed,  no  doubt,  to  make 
himfelf  talked  of,  conceived  the  projefl 
of  repairing  the  walls  of  an  old  caltie  of 

Vol.  III.  C  the 

t  Public  works  on  the  highways,  &c  executed 
by  the  peafants,  at  the  arbitrary  difcretio-n  of  go- 
vernment, a  grievance. long  and  heavily  complain- 
ed of  in  France. 


50  MEMOIRS    OF    TH  E 

the  Genoefe,  fituated  on  the  top  of  a  pro- 
montory, from  whence  is  difcovered  the 
Archipelago,  and  which,  although  in 
fight  of  the  entrance  of  the  channel,  was 
fo  lofty,  and  fo  diilant,  that  its  fhot 
barely  reached  the  fea,  into  which  they 
plunged  in  the  form  of  a  parabola.  Mol- 
dovandgi  had  not  faid  a  word  to  me  of 
his  plan  ;  but  although  it  was  expenfive, 
and  entirely  ufelefs  for  defence,  1  beftow- 
cd  on  it  the  higheft  commendations.  I 
iubmitted,  likewife,  to  the  inftances  of 
the  Pacha,  who  made  me  climb  up  this 
rock,  to  examine  his  works;  I  there 
found  two  or  three  hundred  mafons 
building,  on  the  old  foundation,  a  dry 
wall  of  eighteen  inches  thick,  whilft  a 
great  number  of  carpenters  were  forming, 
within  this  inclofure,  the  barracks  for 
the  garrifon ;  but  what  aftoniflied  me 
the  moft,  was  the  anxiety  with  which 
the  Pacha  made  them  whire-wafii  the 
walls.  One  mufh  judge  from  this,  that 
he  did  not  aim  at  mafking  his  battery; 
the  enemy  could  difcover  it  ten  leagues 
off  at  fea,  but  furely  without  being  much 
terrified  at  the  fight ;  this,  however, 
was  the  fole  objedof  Moldovandgi,  and 

fuch 


BARON     DETOTT.  51 

fuch  was  the  terror  of  the  Turks,  that 
every  method  of  keeping  the  enemy  at  a 
diftance,  appeared  preferable  to  that  of 
beating  them  in  cafe  they  fhould  attempt 
to  force  a  pafiage,  which  nature  had 
done  her  part  to  render  impregnable. 

This  difpofition  of  their  minds,  deter- 
mined me  to  form  the  batteries  of  two 
and  twenty  feet  thicknefs.  The  united 
labours  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  neigh- 
bouring villages  had  already  raifed  the 
epaulements  of  earth,  and  fafcines  3  but 
the  government  had  provided  them  only 
with  a  few  tents  to  proted  them  from 
the  weather,  nor  were  any  meafures 
adopted  for  the  affiftance  of  thefe  unhap- 
py people,  whofe  crops,  abandoned  by 
them  during  this  interval,  were  daily 
going  to  deflrudion  before  their  eyes. 

M.  le  Baron  de  Pontecoulant,  who 
had  accompanied  M.  ie  Comte  de  St. 
Priefl:  to  Conftantinoplc,  propofing  to 
return  to  France,  was  unwilling  to  fet 
out  under  circumftances  fo  critical  for 
the  Ottoman  empire,  without  making 
me  a  fhort  vifit,  to  form,  on  the  f^'Ot, 
an  accurate  idea  of  the  Dardanelles.  He 
arrived  when  my  plans  were  fufficientiy 
C  2  traced 


52  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

traced  out  to  enable  him  to  form  a  judg- 
ment ;  he  faw,  at  the  fame  time,  the  dif- 
couragement,  the  confufion,  and  habi- 
tual indifference  of  the  Turks.  The 
Pacha,  wholly  occupied  in  white-wafhing 
the  wretched  walls  he  had  built,  out  of 
the  reach  of  cannon,  thought  he  was  aid- 
ing mc  fufficiently  by  not  throwing  dif- 
ficulties in  my  way;  and  the  Commif- 
fary  of  the  Porte,  employed  to  defray 
all  the  txpences  I  might  think  neceflary, 
negleded  fuch  as  were  ufeful,  and  be- 
ftowed  his  time  in  loading  his  accounts 
with  all  thofe  which  his  imagination 
could  invent. 

Their  own  charadler  was,  without 
doubt,  the  mod  dangerous  enemy  the 
Turks  had  to  contend  withj  it  was  alfo 
the  enemy  which  gave  mc  the  mod  un- 
eafinefs.  But  as  on  the  mod  difficult 
occafions,  it  is  always  a  capital  error  to 
negled  the  fmallefl  refourccs,  I  thought 
I  might  derive  feme  advantage  from  the 
arrival  of  the  Baron  de  Pontecoulant; 
and  after  having  apprized  him  of  my 
projed:,  I  prefented  him  to  the  Pacha  as 
an  lnftje6lor  fent  to  me  by  the  AmbafTa- 
dor  of  France.     I  pafTed  him  off  as  a 

perfon 


BARON    DE    TOTT.  53 

perfon  fent  to  examine  the  flate  ot  the 
Dardanelles^   to  give  an  account  of  it  to 
the  Grand  Signior,  and  afterwards  to  fet 
out  for  France,  to  convey  the  informa- 
tion  to  the  Emperor,   my  mafter.     M. 
de  Pontecoulant  played  his  part  perfe6lly 
well;   he  exprefTed  all  the  ill  humour  we 
had  agreed   upon,    and    this    ftratagem 
gave^  little  more  adtivity  to  the  Pacha. 
This  Vifir  thought  he  owed  likewife  the 
higheft  refped  to  Monfieur  VInfpccfeury  ^ 
and  when  M.  de  Pontecoulant  took  leave 
of  him,   he  commiiTioned  me  to  beg  his 
acceptance  of  a  fmall  prefent  in  money, 
which  is  the  height  of  politenefs  amongfl: 
the  Turks.     We  were  not  quite  of  that 
opinion,  but  as  a  refufal  would  have  per- 
fuaded  the  Pacha  that  we  had  an  inten- 
tion of  injuring  him  at  the  Porte,    and 
that  this  idea  would  have  put  him  out  of 
humour,  1   prevailed  on  M.  de  Ponte- 
coulant to  overcome  his  repugnancy  for 
Oriental    politenefs ;    and    the  boatmen 
who  had  brought  him,   profiting  by  the 
prefent,  were  highly  fatisfied  with  French 
delicacy. 

This  journey,  which  had  no  other  ob- 

jedt  than  curiofity,    but  which  I  had  juft 

C   2  turned 


54  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

turned  to  good  account,  became  very 
foon  a  caufe  of  the  moft  anxious  uneafi- 
nefs  to  the  Grand  Signior.  M.  de  Pon- 
tecoulant,  delayed  by  contrary  northerly 
winds  on  his  return,  and  forced  to  land 
on  the  coaft  of  Europe,  above  Gallipoli, 
and  take  horfcs  there,  arrived  by  land  at 
Conftantinople.  The  guards  of  the  cuf- 
tom-houfe,  who  keep  watch  at  the  gate 
of  Adrianople,  ll:op,  and  examine  him  j 
altonifhed  to  fee  an  European,  they  in- 
quire who  he  is,  and  from  whence  h© 
comes  ?  and  on  his  anfwering  that  he  is 
the  Bey  Zade  of  France*',  and  that  he 
comes  from  the  Dardanellesj  the  guards 
taking  him  for  me,  fafFer  him  to  pafs 
without  further  explanation,  and  fly  to 
announce  my  return  to  the  Grand  Vifir, 
who  haftens  to  communicate  the  intelli- 
gence to  the  Grand  Signior.  Every  body 
is  in  confternation,  the  Dardanelles  are 
fuppofcd  to  be  forced,  and  his  Highnefs 
immediately  difpatchesa  confidential  mef- 
fenger  to  M.  de  St.  Priefl:,  to  inquire  of 
him  the  meaning  of  my  return;  but  the 
AmbaiTador  explaining  the  miflake,   and 

fur  ni  filing 

*  A  Gentleman  of  France;  an  exprefTion  that  the 
Turks  had  long  made  ufe  of  in  fpeaking  of  me,  . 


BARON     UETOTT.  55 

furnifhing  the  Grand  Signior  with  fome 
obfervations  of  M.  de  Pbntecoulant,  re- 
ftored  the  tranquillity  of  the  Prince  and 
his  Miniflers. 

I  was  one  evening  at  Moldovandgi  Fa« 
cha's,  which  was  near  my  lodgings,  and 
who  began  to  treat  me  with  a  good  deal 
of  confidence^  when  a  Turk  appears,  and 
reminds  him  of  the  promife  he  had  made 
liim  to  fpcak  to  me  in. his  favour.   '*  Aye, 
that  is  true  !  '   fays  the  Pacha,    "  I  do  re- 
commend this   man   to  you;    you  may 
reap  great  advaatage  from  him;  he  has 
a  moll  furprizing    talent   for    throwing 
bombs;    a  trifling  leiTon   from  you  will 
make  him  excellent.     We  have  jull  been 
feeing  him  make  a  proof,    which  would 
have  had  the  mod  complete  fuccefs,  but 
for.  an  accident,  the  caufes  of  which  we 
cannot  difcover,  but   the  mortar  buril, 
and  has  laid  feven  men  dead  on  the  fpot.'' 
"Whilfl:  he  was  talking,   I  examined  this 
man  of  talents,  and  difcovered,  from  the 
fhape  of  his  turban,   that  he  was  a  Cryer 
of  the    Mofques.     I    congratulate    him 
on  his  good  fortune  in  efcapingfrom  his 
proof  unhurt,  and  alk  him  fome  queftions 
on  his  proceeding. — **  1  have  done  every 

thing," 


56  MEMOIRS     OF    THE 

thing/'  fays  he,  '^  that  was  neceflary  5 
and  notwithftanding  the  accident  which 
has  happened  to  my  firfl:  bomb,  I  am 
very  fure  I  omitted  nothing  to  infure  its 
fuccefs/'  "  Let  us  fee,"  fays  I  to  him, 
*'  give  me  the  particulars  of  your  pro- 
ceeding." "  Firfl,"  replied  he,  "  the 
mortar  being  placed  on  its  carriage,  I 
pointed  it  towards  the  fea ;  1  filled  the 
chamber  with  powder,  and  then  rammed 
it  with  earth  beaten  by  a  mallet  j  after 
which,  I  filled  the  fhell  with  gun- 
powder ; — "  You  fee,"  fays  the  Pacha, 
interrupting  us,  ''  that  he  is  a  clever 
fellow."—*'  Go  on,"— faid  I,  to  his  fa- 
vourite. "  I  placed,"  continued  he, 
"  the  fliell  in  the  mortar,  and  fet  fire  to 

it." "  What!    without  a  fuzee  ?"  I 

cried  out,  '*  — Ah,  forry  wretch  that 
thou  art !  thou  oughteft  to  have  been 
the  firfl  of  thofe  vidims  who  have  been 
facrificed  to  thy  ignorance.  But  is  it 
pofiible,  that  with  the  quantity  of  mortars 
deftined  for  the  defence  of  thefe  caflles, 
there  fliould  not  be  a  fingle  bombardier 
who  knows  that  one  does  not  fire  off 
fhelis  without  a  fuzee  ?" — "  This  is  a  con- 
vincing proof,  however,"  fays  the  Pacha, 

«  that 


BARON   PE    TOTT.  57 

''  that  very  little  is  wanting  to  make  him 
a  clever  fellow  j    and  I  renew  to  you  the 
requeft  I  have  already  made,  to  finifh  his 
education."     Compelled,  in  fome  mea- 
fure,   to  fubmit  to  fuch  folly,  I  fent  in 
fearch  of  the  (lore- keeper  ;   we  examined 
the  condition  of  his  (lores,  without  be- 
ing able  to  find  even  the  firfl  ingredients 
necelTary  in  the  compofition  of  a  fuzee. 
The  Pacha,   however,  infifted  hard  for 
the   Cryer,    and    defired   that  I    would 
make  a  proof  before  him.     I  was  fo  very 
little   interefted  in   fatisfying  him,    that 
really  it  was  not  worth  the  trouble  ;   but 
as  one  always  fufFcrs  by  faying  no,  to  ig- 
norance,   I  determined  to  make  my  car- 
penter   contrive   an   indifferent  turning 
machine,  with  which  I  turned  fome  fu- 
zees,   and  procured  fome  faltpetre  and 
brimflone,   and  1  prepared  my  compofi- 
tion ;    1  then  loaded  feveral   before  my 
pupil,  making  him  obferve  all  the  cir- 
cumflances  neceffary  to  fuccefs,   and  the 
bombs  were  fired  in  the  evening,   to  the 
great  fatisfadion  of  Moldovandgi,   who 
waited  for  nothing  but  fuch  a  proof  of 
talents  in   his   favourite,   to  inftail   him 
bombarbier   in   chief.     Such,    however, 
C  5  was 


58  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

was  the  aukvvardnefs  of  this   man,    that' 

after  feveral  days  labour,  he  could  not' 

attain  the  manner  of  charging  a  fuzee,  to 

make  it  fit  for    fervice  ^    and   my   new 

fcholar,  difheartened  with   the  toil,   but 

no  lefs  eager  of  glory,  had  again  recourfe 

to  his  prote6lor.     He  exclaimed  againfc ' 

the  difficulty  of  the  method  I  employed, 

and  folicited  anew  his  intcreft,  to  engage 

me  to  {hew  him  how  to  fire  (hells  without 

fuzees.     But  what  will  appear  ftill  more 

ridiculous,   this  Vifir,  who  had  obliged 

the  enemy  to  raife  the  fiege  of  Kotchim, 

and  afterwards  commanded  the  Ottoman 

army,  had  the  flupidity  to  adopt  his  fa* 

vourite's  propofition. 

We  may  judge,  from  this  Tingle  anec- 
dote, how  far  the  Turks  were  in  a  ftate 
of  defending  themfelves,  and  of  how- 
much  importance  it  was  to  conceal  their 
weaknefs  from  the  enemy.  It  was  not, 
ho^^ever,  from  the  Greeks,  who  were 
known  to  be  fpies,  that  dangerous  difco- 
veries- might  be  dreaded.  Accuflomed 
to  bend  under  the  yoke  of  Ottoman  def- 
potifn,  and  as  ignorant  as  the  Turks, 
every  thing  which  belonged  to  the  latter, 
naturally    commanded    refped*     But    it 

was 


BARON    DE    TOTT.  59 

was  necelTary  to  prevent  the  Europeans 
from  expofing  our  fituation,  and  this 
was  the  objed'  of  the  embargo  which 
took  place  foon  after  the  burning  of  the 
fleet.  A  great  number  of  fhips,  of  all 
nations,  were  already  (lopped  at  the  Dar- 
danelles, and,  for  a  confiderable  time, 
the  Turks  had  given  up  the  navigation 
of  the  Archipelago  *.  The  provifions  1 
had  demanded  of  the  Porte  were  arrived, 
and  I  was  in  expedition  of  nomore  vef- 
fcls,  when  a  large  faic  J  appeared,  bear- 
ing 

•  During  the  whole  war,  neutral  veflels,  only, 
were  employed  to  carry  corn  on  the  Grand  Signior's 
account,  and  the  Porte  gave  the  French  a  preference, 
very  advantageous  to  the  merchants  ellabliflied  at 
Conftantinople.  I  muft  notj,  in  this  note,  omit  a 
commercial  ipeculation  capable  of  enlightening  the 
policy  of  nations*  An  Englifti  vellel,  laden  wich 
rice,  can>e  from  Carolina  diredly  to  Conftantinople, 
relying  on  the  intelligeace  of  the  public  news- 
papers. She  was  commanded  by  Captain  Grief- 
wold,  addrefied  to-  nobody,  and  fold  her  cargo  in 
the  harbour. 

X  A  fort  of  Turkifti  veffef,  whofe  coiaftrud:ion  is 
peculiarly  adapted  to  the  Black  Sea,  without  being 
fit,  however,  for  any  fort  of  navigation,  Thefe 
vefTels,  in  fa^,  unable  to  lie  on  their  fides  in  bad 
weather,  are  frequently  loft  upon  the  coaft,  when, 
being  obliged  to  run  before  the  wind,  they  have  not 
enough  fea  room,     . 


6o  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

ing  down  with  all  her  fails  fet.  I  ob- 
ferved,  alfo,  that  this  vefTel,  inftead  of 
coming  to,  in  the  anchorage  of  the  others, 
kept  the  flreann  of  the  current,  and  fleer- 
ed her  courfe  between  the  caftles:  I  then 
fuppofed  that  fhe  was  laden  with  annmu- 
nition,  and  was  making  for  the  maga- 
zine 3  but  I  foon  perceived  grappling 
irons  at  each  end  of  the  yard,  and  it  then 
occurred  to  me,  that  the  Porte,  recol- 
lefling  the  requeft  1  had  made  of  the 
Maltefe  flave  for  the  conftrudion  of  fire- 
ihips,  on  his  refufal,  were  anxious  to 
replace  him.  But  I  was  not  a  litte  ftruck 
with  the  fore- fight  of  hoifting  grappling 
irons  at  fixty  leagues  diflance  from  the 
enemy.  The  veffel,  however,  having 
pafled  the  anchorage,  a  cannon  fhot  from 
each  bank,  warned  her  to  lower  her  fails, 
but  without  efFed.  I  had  gone  into  the 
caflle  of  Afia  to  take  a  nearer  view  of  this 
incendiary.  A  fecond  gun,  with  fhot, 
was  fired  5  and  when  I  faw  that  a  third, 
pointed  nearer  to  him,  produced  no 
more  effedl,  and  that  he  was  about  to 
pafs  us,  I  ordered  him  to  be  fired  at, 
with  the  recommendation  to  do  him  as 
little  damage   as  pciuble.     The  ikill  of 

the 


BARON    DE    TOTT.  6f 

the  gunner  luckily  carried  away  only 
his  figure  head.  But  the  confufion  oc- 
cafioned  by  this  accident  on  board  the 
veflel,  naade  him  foon  bring  to,  and  a 
detachment  of  the  guard,  fent  on  board 
to  feize  the  captain,  after  anchoring  the 
veflel,  brought  me  this  zealous  MulTul- 
man. 

One  muft  paint  to  onefelf  that  igno- 
rant fanaticifm  which  devotes,  and  ima- 
gines itfelf  alone  equal  to  the  deflrudi- 
on  of  the  enemy's  fleet,  to  form  an  idea 
of  the  fury  of  this  madman  on  feeing 
himfelf  flopped  in  his  cruize,  and  brought 
before  the  tribunal  of  a  Chriftian :  we 
were  all  traitors  in  his  eyes,  who,  in  con- 
cert with  the  Ruflians,  prevented  him 
from  going  to  avenge  the  true-believers 
for  the  difgrace  of  Tchefme.  He  re- 
proached, alfo,  the  Turks  around  me, 
with  the  refped  they  flaewed  for  me. 
Every  effort  was  made  ufc  of  to  calm 
him,  but  he  did  not  begin  to  liften  to 
reafon  till  the  next  day,  when  his  head 
was  fufliciently  cool  to  make  him  fenfi- 
ble  of  all  the  follies  his  phrenzy  had  fug- 
gefted. 

Notwithflanding  the   pains  taken  by 

the 


62-  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

the  CommiiTary  of  the  Porte,  to  colledh. 
the  inhabitants  of  neighbouring  villa- 
ges, who  were  able  to  work,  to  affift  in 
raifing  the  epaulements  of  the  batteries, 
with  the  addition  of  fome  Jew^s,  the 
number  of  workmen  was  flill  infuffici- 
ent,  and  I  could  not  undertake  all  the 
works  atone  time.  Thofe  of  the  Pointe 
des  Barbier's,  however,  got  forward, 
notwithftanding  the  plague,  which  daily 
carried  off  my.  workmen*  .  Obliged, 
however,  to  be  in  the  midft  of  them, 
this  diftemper  was  not  amongfl:  the  fmal- 
left  of  the  difagreeable  circumiiances  of 
my  fituation  ;  but  unable  to  avoid  a  ne^ 
ceffary  communication  with  them,  I  ab- 
ftained  only  from  all  fuch  as  were  not 
ferviceable  to  my  undertaking;  and 
when  a  ftorm  coiledled  the  workmen  un- 
der tents,  fet  up  for  that  purpofe,  I 
continued  in  the  rain,  and  1  think  I  may 
attribute  my  efcape  from  the  difordcr, 
to  that  fole  precaution. 

1  have  already  oblerved,    that  the-go-» 
vcrnment  took  no  care  to  provide  fub- 

fiftence 

*  On  fome  days  the  plague  farried    off  from  the 

works  at   the   Pointe    des  Barbier's  alone,   twenty 

workmen,  feveral-of  whom  did    not  furvive  three 

hoars  after  the  firft  fymptoms  of  the  diforder. 


BARON     DE    TOT  T.  6y 

fiftcnce  for  the  workmen,  who  daily 
curfed  them  ;  and  I  would  not  lofe  thaf 
opportunity  of  making  them  blefs  me, 
by  loading  the  boat  that  brought  me, 
every  morning,  with  water,  melons,  and^ 
bread,  which  I  ordered  to  be  d i drib u ted- 
to  the  labourers  before  they  went  to^ 
work. 

A  Turkifh  inhabitant  of  the  caflle  of 
Europe,  one  of  the  principal  men  of  the* 
diftridj  after  having  afTiduoufly  attended" 
to  the  works  I  had  confl:ru6led,  and  made 
many  attempts  himfelf  to  bind  the  faucif- 
fons,  and  place  them,  defires  me  to  leave 
to  him,  the  execution  of  a  battery  I  had' 
marked  out  at  the  Pointe  des    Moulins, 
fituated    in    the   neighbourhood.     ^^  My 
workmen  are  ready,"    faid  he  ;    "I  pro-' 
mifeyou  they  will  work  hard,    and  I  on- 
ly afk  of  you,  to  com«  fometimes  and  in« 
fped  me.'*     The  zeal  and  application  of 
this  Turk,  prejudiced  me  in  his  favour  ; 
I  willingly  accepted  his  offer.     The  next 
morning  the fhorev»'as covered  with  carts, 
laden  with  branches  of  trees,  and  I  faw 
the  engineer  pointing  out  to    the  work^ 
men  the  ufe  they  ought  to  make  of  them; 
Scrupuloufly    attached    to    my    mechocP,  „ 

my/ 


64  MEMOIRS     OFTHE 

my  rival   negledled    nothing  to  regale, 
at  his  expence,  the  poor  people  who  work- 
ed under  his  orders.     This    was  one   of 
the  bed  finifhed  batteries  ;  and  the  Com- 
miffary  of  the   Porte,   aftonifhed   at  his 
zeal  and  underftanding,    and    flill  more 
ftriick  at  the  expence   he  had   incurred 
from  pure  difintereftednefs,  gave  an  ac^ 
count  of  it  to  the  Porte,  and  received  or- 
ders to  commend  his  zeal,  and  make  him 
a  prefent  of  three  hundred  piafters  by  way 
of  indemnity.  Accordingly  the  Turk  was 
fentfor,  and  received,  and  receiving  rather 
coldly,  the  compliments  of  the  Commif- 
fary,   abfolutely  rcfufed  the  proferred  re- 
compence,  adding,  ''   That  to   receive 
the  price  of  it,  would  be  taking  from  the 
merit  of  the  good  work  he  had  been  en- 
gaged in,  and  that  it  would  be  too  dif- 
graceful  for  the  Ottoman  empire,  to  fee 
a  Frenchman   facrificing  himfelf  for  its 
defence,  whilft  not  a  fingle  Turk  deign- 
ed to  employ  his   talents  or   his  fortune 
in  fo  important   a   bufmefs."     This  ex- 
cellent   patriot   remained    unfhaken,   in 
fpite  of  every  folicitation  ;  and  the  Com- 
miffary  was  all  admiration  when  I  reach- 
ed his  houfe  j  but  he  was  flill  more  fur- 
prized 


BARON    DE    TOTT.  65 

prized  not  to  bt  able  to  make  me  par- 
take of  his  aftonidiment.  ''  That  is  in- 
credible to  me,'*  fays  he,  looking  at  the 
fifteen  piles  of  money,  lying  on  the 
ground  j  "  I  cannot  conceive  it  pofliblc 
to  refufe  fuch  a  fum."  In  fadt,  nothing 
is  fo  uncommon  as  to  find  a  Turk  fcru- 
pulous  and  delicate  on  that  head. 

The  troops  deftined  by  the  Grand  Sig- 
nior  to  the  defence  of  the  Streights,  ar- 
rived from  all  parts.  They  compofed  a 
body  of  30,000  men;  15,000  of  whom 
were  Afiatics,  and  15,000  of  Turkey  in 
Europe.  But  this  multitude,  of  whom 
I  have  already  given  an  idea,  more  capa- 
ble of  creating  confufion,  than  offerving 
to  defend  the  batteries,  could  fcarcely  be 
kept  in  order  by  the  feverity  of  the  Pa- 
cha, the  whole  extent  of  whofe  talents 
went  no  further,  than  to  diminilh  the 
number  of  mutineers  by  the  number  of 
executions. 

Notwithflanding  the  inconveniencies 
and  embarralTmencs  we  fufFered,  from 
the  undifciplined  flate  of  thefe  troops, 
the  necelTity  of  prefenting,  at  leafl:,  a 
numerous  appearance  of  forces  capable 
of  impofing  on  the  enemy,  compelled  us 

to 


66'  MFMOIRS    Of    THE 

to  employ  every  method  to  prevent  the 
defertions  with  which  we  were  continual- 
ly threatened.  The  expedient  which  ap- 
peared to  me  the  moft  feafible,  was  to 
feparate  all  the  troops  from  the  vicinity 
of  their  own  refpedlive  dwellings,  by  an 
arm  of  the  fea,  pafTing  the  fifteen  thou- 
fand  Afiatics  over  into  Europe,  and  the 
fifteen  thoufand  Europeans  into  Afia. 
Thefe.difpofitions  made,  the  difficulty 
of  efcaping  the  rigorous  punifnment  of 
their  diforders,  rendered  them  fomewhat 
lefs  frequent;  but  nothing  could  get  the 
better  of  the  cowardice  of  thefe  wretch- 
es, who  were  not  afhamed,  loudly  to  de- 
clare their  unwiliingnefs  to  occupy  the 
batteries.  I  laboured,  however,  to  per- 
fect them,  and  after  having  encircled, 
that  of  the  Barhier's^  with  a  covered  way, 
to  preferve  it  from  afurprize  by  land,  I 
came  to  the  cailles,  w  here  1  had  efta- 
blifhed  my  work-houfes  for  the  con- 
llru(5lion  of  gun-carriages,  which  we 
were  in  abfolute  want  of.  It  was  now  a 
long  time  fince  any  boat  had  entered  the 
channel,  when  we  faw  one  appear,  filled 
with  Turks  armed  to  the  very  teeth :  they 
were     conducing     feven      unfortunate 

Greeks, 


BARON     DE    TOT  T,  6  J 

Greeks,  owners  of  this  little  boat.  The 
•  Turk,  who  appeared  to  have  the  com- 
mand of  them,  lands,  and  announcing 
to  the  people  affembled,  a  Ruffian  prize, 
defires  to  fpeak  to  the  Pacha.  Being  im* 
mediately  introduced,  he  affirms  that  the 
prifoners  are  Ruffian  fpies ;  their  fen- 
tence  of  death  is  inllantly  pronounced  ; 
but  he  makes  a  particular  complaint  a- 
gaind  the  infoleace  of  one  of  rhefe  pre- 
tended fpies,  who,  being  matter  of  the 
boat,  and  violently  attacked,  had  dared 
to  take  aim  at  him;  and,  as  a  reparati- 
on for  this  outrage,  demands  the  Pacha's 
permiffion  to  be  himfelf  his  cKecutioner. 
WhiKl  they  were  thus  proceeding  to 
judgment,  and  he  was  making  this  ex- 
traordinary demand,  1  was  taking  exadl 
informations  of  the  fa6l,  to  fupply  that 
formality  which  the  juftice  of  the  Pa- 
cha made  him  totally  ncgledt.  I 
learnt  that  thefe  unfortunate  Greeks,  in- 
habitants of  Mitylene,  had  only  been  out 
afifhing,  and  were  no  otherwife  culpa- 
ble, than  in  having  refilled,  on  former' 
occafions,  the  oppreffions  of  the  Turks  : 
he  had  watched  them,  in  confequence, 
on  purpofe  to  attack  them  under  the  fpe- 

cious 


68  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

cious  pretext  of  their  b^'in^  fijies;  ani 
the  execution  folloNved  the  fentence  fo 
clofely,  that,  unible  to  prevent  it,  by- 
coining  at  the  truth,  I  had  only  the  hor- 
rid certainty  of  having  fcen  the  innocent 
perifh. 

I  have  already  (hewn,  fronni  the  defcrip- 
tion  of  the  caltles,  that   the  itiinenfe  ar- 
tillery they  contained,  could  only   be  of 
ufe  in  the  defence  of  the  channel,  by  dif- 
pofing  them  t )   more  advantage.     The 
Simois,  that   fo    celebrated    river,    but 
which   is,  in    fafl,  only  a  fmdl  gulley, 
where  the  rain  water,  forming  a  torrent, 
rulhes  down  the  mountain,  and  falls  into 
the  fea  below  the   caflle  of  A.fia.     This 
appeared  to  me  an   advantageous   fitua- 
tion  for  a  battery,  which,  ferving  by  way 
of  epaulement  to  the  caftle,  might   con- 
tain a  part  of  its  artillery,   and   the  ap- 
proaches to  which  would  be  defended  by 
this  ravine.     By  this  difpofition,  I  took 
in  the  fide  of  the  cadle  which  enfiladed 
the  channel  with  its  battery.     It  was  with 
this  view  that  the  Turks  had  already  pla- 
ced there  an  enormous  fwivel,   the    ball 
of  which,  made  of  marble,  weighed  ele- 
ven hundred  pounds.   This  piece,  cafl;  in 

bronze. 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  69 

bronze,  in  the  reign  of  Amurath,  was 
connpofed  of  two  parts,  joined  by  a  fcrew, 
at  the  reparation  of  the  chamber  from  the 
barrel,,  in  the  manner  of  an  Englifh  piftoL 
The  breech  was  fupported  by  a  mafs  of 
ftone,  and  was  only  raifed  on  great  logs 
of  wood,  flanted,  and  difpofed  to  that  ef- 
fect, under  a  fmall  vaulted  cover,  which 
ferved  as  an  embrafure.  I  could  not  em- 
ploy this  fwivel  in  the  external  works, 
and  as  they  were  fo  arranged  as  to  mafk 
its  fire,  the  Turks  murmured  at  the  fort 
of  contempt  with  which  I  feemed  to  treat 
an  implement  of  deftrudion,  which  was 
undoubtedly  the  moft  extraordinary  in 
the  univerfe.  The  Pacha  made  feveral 
remonflranccs  on  the  occafion.  He  a- 
greed  with  me,  that  the  difficulty  of 
loading  it,  would  not  admit  its  being 
fired  above  once,  in  cafe  of  an  attack  -, 
but  he  thought  that  fingle  fire  would  do 
fo  much  havock,  and  the  ball  fly  fo  far, 
that,  according  to  che  general  opinion, 
this  fwivel,  alone,  would  deftroy  the  ene- 
my's whole  fleet.  It  was  eaficr  for  me 
to  give  way  to  this  reafoning,  than  to 
overturn  it ;  and,  without  changing  che 
plan  of  defence,   I     could,    by    cutting 

down 


70  M  E  M  0  r  RS    0  F    T  H  E 

■down  the epaulement  in  the  dire6i:Ion  of 
the  piece,  contrive  to  give  it  play;  but 
I  was  defirous  of  fir  ft  trying  the  effed  of 
the  ball.  The  company  fhuddered  at  this 
propofal;  the  old  men  afTured  me,  from 
an  ancient  tradition,  that  this  piece, 
which  never  had  been  fired,  would  pro- 
'duceluch  an  agitation  as  to  overturn  the 
caftle  and  t-he  town.  It  was  very  proba- 
ble, in  fad,  that  foms  pieces  of  the  wall 
-mightfall,  but  I  afTured  them,  that  the 
.GrandSrgnior  would  not  regret  that  lofs, 
iand  that  the  direiElion  of  the  piece  did 
not  allow  me  to  fuppofe  that  the  town 
could  fufFer  from  the  explofi-on.  Never, 
doubtlefs,  had  cannon  a  more  formida- 
ble reputation :  friends,  enemies,  every 
thino-  was  to  fuffer  from  it.  It  was  now 
a  month  fince  the  refolution  had  been 
taken  to  load  this  fwivel,  whofe  chamber 
contained  three  hundred  and  thirty 
pounds  of  powder.  I  fent  for  the  mafler- 
gunner  to  prepare  the  priming  ;  they 
who  heard  me  give  that  order,  difappear- 
ed  immediately,  to  get  ou:  of  the  way  of 
danger.  The  Pacha  himfelf  was  prepar- 
ing to  retreat,  and  it  was  only  by  the 
moft  preffing  inftances,  and  the  mofl"  ac- 
-curare    d^monftrations,    that    he    would 

run 


BARON    DE    TOT T.  7^1 

run  no  rifk  in  a  little  kioflc  at  the  corner 
of  the  caftle,  from  whence  he  might  ob- 
fcrve  the  cffed  of  the  ball,  that   I  could 
prevail  on  him  to  occupy  that   pod.     I 
ftill  had  to  overcome  the  fears  of  themaf- 
ter-gunner  ;   and  although   he  was    the 
only  perfon  that  had  not  fled,  the  argu- 
ments he  u fed  to  excite   my  compafllon, 
did  not  befpeak  much  bravery.     It  was 
only   by  promifing  him,    therefore,    to 
ihare  in  the  danger,  that  I  fucceeded  in 
allaying  his  fears,   rather  than   infpirino- 
him  with  courage.     I    was    on   the  heap 
of  ftoncs  behind  the   piece  when  he  fired 
it;  a  commotion    fimilar  to  that  of  an 
earthquake,  preceded  the  report.     I  then 
faw  the  ball,  fplitin  three  pieces,   at  the 
diftance  of  fix  hundred  yards   acrofs   the 
channel,  rebounding  frequently  from  the 
water  to  the  oppofite  hill,  andleavinc>  the 
furface   of    the  fea  foaming  the  whole 
breadth  of  the  channel.     This  proof  re- 
moved  the   chimerical  apprehenfions  of 
the  Pacha  and  the  gunners,  and  convin- 
ced me  of  the  tremendous  effeds  of  fuch 
a  ball,   and  I  ordered  the  epauleme/it  to 
be  cut  accordingly  in  its  diredion. 

This  battery,  which  covered  the  caftle, 
was  intended  to  contain  apart  of  the  hea- 
vy 


-72  MEMOIRS    OFTHE 

vy  artillery,  the  carriages  of  which,  fmce 
my  arrival  at  the  Dardanelles,  I  had  or- 
dered to  be  repaired  in  the  moil  eflenti- 
al  points,  by  a  French  carpenter  1  had 
procured  for  the  purpofc,  and  who, 
from  his  abilities,  was  of  very  great  fer- 
vice  to  me  on  every  occafion. 

Amongft  the  number  of  pieces  which 
were  to  ferve  on  this  battery,  an  enor- 
mous culverin,  carrying  fixty  pound 
balls,  was  fo  incumbered  with  the  vault, 
which  ferved  for  an  embrafure,  that  this 
inconvenience,  joined  to  its  great  weight, 
baffled  the  ordinary  means  of  removing 
thefe  pieces.  I  demanded  the  tackling 
1  ftood  in  need  of  from  the  (hips  of  war, 
but  the  Grand  Signior's  navy  was  fo  ill 
provided,  that  my  refearches  were  in 
vain.  I  could  not  help  making  fome  re- 
proaches on  the  fubjedl  to  the  famous 
Hafifan,  now  Captain  Pacha,  who  was 
that  time  no  more  than  the  Admiral's 
flag  Captain.  This  man,  whom  we  have 
fince  feen  diainguiQiing  himfelf  by  his 
temerity,  convinced  me  that  he  thought 
o-ood  will  might  fupply  the  want  of  that 
knowledge  which  requires  the  mod  pro- 
found application.  "  What  will  you 
do,**    fays    he   to    me,    v/ith    ropes   and 

blocks  ? — 


BARON     D  E    TOT  T.  J^ 

blocks? — What  fignifies  taking  this  me- 
thod, when  we  have  hands  enow  at  your 
fervice  ? — Show  me  the  weight  of  what 
you  want  to  move,  and  the  place  it  is  to 
ht  conveyed  to  j — leave  the  reft  to  me." 
*^  What,"  faid  1,  "  you  will  carry  by  the 
hand  a  gun  that  weighs  7000  lb.  weight  ? 
— How  many  men  will  you  put  to  this 
work  ?" — "  Five  hundred,  if  neceflfary," 
replied  he,  brifkly  ;  *^  what  matters  the 
number,  provided  the  v/ork  be  accom- 
plifhed  r"  "  I  perceive,"  faid  I  to  Mol- 
dcvandgi,  who  was  prefent  at  this  An- 
gular difcourfe,  ^^  that  the  brave  HafTan 
thinks  nothing  impoITible: — Let  us  fee 
where  his  five  hundred  men  will  find  room 
to  place  their  hands. 

Whilft  HafTan  was  colledling  his  means, 
and  we  were  preparing  to  go  and  judge 
of  the  ufe  he  would  make  of  them,  I 
fent  my  carpenter  to  bring  half  a  dozen 
failors  from  a  French  fliip,  with  ropes 
and  brafs  pullies,  which  I  had  in  vain 
inquired  for  on  board  the  Admiral's  fliip. 
Arrived  at  the  culverin  with  the  Pacha, 
we  foon  faw  HafTan,  with  his  vigorous 
companions,  make  their  appearance,  all 
of  them   confident    of    the   luccefs   for 

Vol.  III.  D  which 


74  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

which  their  leader  had  undertaken.  But 
the  firfl  thirty  who  flew  to  the  work,  get- 
ting round  the  piece,  where  there  was 
Icarce  room  for  them,  reduced  their 
comrades  to  be  fimple  fpedtators  of  the 
vain  efforts  they  made  to  move  it.  This 
firft  elTay  was  renewed  by  others,  whofe 
endeavours  were  equally  InefFeduaJ, 
HafTan,  piqued  at  thefe  difficulties,  was 
expreffing  his  aftonifhment  at  the  refin- 
ance he  met  with,  and  had  juft  acknow- 
ledged his  defeat,  when  the  fix  failors  I 
had  lent  for  arrived,  with  the  neceffary 
implements  j  every  thing  was  foon  got 
ready,  and  in  lefs  than  a  quarter  of  an 
hour,  the  piece  was  conveyed  to  the 
platform.  It  was  fi:ill  to  be  placed  on 
its  carriage;  and  on  this  occafion,  Haf- 
fan  imagining  that  my  fix  failors  were 
by  no  means  equal  to  the  tafk,  offered 
me  the  affiftance  of  his.  "  To  what 
purpofe?''  faici  1,  in  my  turn;  "  four 
of  my  people  are  fufficient."  I  then 
fent  for  a  crab,  which  I  had  ordered  to 
be  made,  with  the  ufe  of  which  the 
Turks  are  totally  unacquainted,  and  it 
was  with  the  moft  extreme  admiration 
that  they  beheld   this    enormous   piece 

raifed 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  ^J 

raifed  with  eafe  by  the    exertions  only  of 
four   men  ;  a  manoeuvre    by  no    means 
extraordinary  elfewhere,    but  which  pro- 
duced a  wonderful  effect  on  HafTan  and 
his  companions. 

We  have  already  feen,  that  the  Ruffi- 
an fquadron,  getting  out  of  the  reach  of 
the  red-hot  (hot,  went  to  form  the  fiege 
of  Lemnos.  Few  nights,  however, 
palTed,  in  which  terror,  that  fees  every 
thing  it  fears,  did  not  give  us  fome  alarms 
and  as  foon  as  the.  cannon  of  the  fir  (I 
caftles  were  heard,  from  whence  the  flioc 
was  lavifhed  on  the  firft  phantom  the 
guards  imagined  they  beheld,  thofe  of 
the  Dardanelles  thought  they  faw  the 
enemy  under  their  batteries.  The  con- 
fufion  which  reigned  on  fuch  occafions, 
fnowed  me  plainly  what  was  to  be  ex- 
pe6led,  in  cafe  of  real  danger.  To  make 
the  Turks  lofe  this  habit  of  terrifying 
themfelves  at  nothing,  and  to  enable  them 
todiftinguifh  their  enemy,  before  they 
had  any  thing  to  fear,  I  prepared  fire-balls 
to  be  fent  up  on  the  firfl  alarm.  This 
expedient  fucceeded  beyond  my  wifhes; 
and  fo  fpeedy  a  method  of  diffufing  a 
quantity  of  lighton  the  quarter  of  theene- 
D  z  my. 


76  MXMOIRS    OF    THE 

my,  foon  pcrfuaded  the  Turks,  that  as 
they  could  fee  them,  without  being 
themfelves  difcovered,  even  the  night  it- 
felf  was  in  their  favour. 

The  works  were  completed,  the  ar- 
tillery planted,  the  magazines  of  ammu- 
nition amply  flored,  and  nothing  re- 
mained but  to  man  the  batteries.  But 
it  was  previouily  necefiary  to  efliablifh  in 
tiie  public  opinion  the  fadl,  that  works 
of  twenty-two  feet  thick,  fecured  men's 
lives  from  danger  more  than  dry  walls, 
which  might  crumble  to  pieces  on  the 
firft  volley  -,  but  habit  prevailed.  I  had 
accounts  from  all  parts,  that  the  troops 
deftined  for  the  batteries,  would  only 
appear  there  to  have  the  appearance  of 
obedience,  but  with  a  firm  intention  of 
abandoning  them  on  the  firft  appearance 
of  the  enemy.  I  then  determined  on  an 
expedient,  which  would  have  been  high- 
ly ridiculous,  had  it  not  been  the  only 
method  capable  of  convincing  ignorance. 
I  announced  the  proof  of  the  batteries 
for  the  next  morning,  at  ten  o'clock. 
I  went  quite  alone  to  that  of  the  Barriers, 
whilft  my  own  people  had  orders  to  oc- 
cupy the  oppofite  battery,    to  point  the 

guns 


BARON    D£     TOTT.  JJ 

guns  to    the  work  which   covered   me, 
and  to  begin  their  fire  as  loon  as  the  boar 
that  conveyed  me  fhould  be  out   of  the 
line.     There  was  a  great  crowd,    eager 
to  behold  the  new  rpedlacle,   and    all  the 
thirty-fix  round-lTiot  burying  themfelves 
in  the- work,    behind  which  I  had  placed 
myfelf,  without  doing  any  mifchief,  con- 
vinced the  Turks   that  they   might  take^ 
my    place    without    danger  j    they    flill' 
ga*?e  a  decided  preference,  however,    to 
the  battery  which  had  been  proved,    and 
were  with   difficulty    perfuaded    that    all^ 
the  others  pofleffed  the  fame  advantage. 
The  difpofition  of  the  works   from   the 
mouth  of  the  channel,  to   the   point    of 
Nagara,  where  I  eftablifhed   the  lad  bat- 
teries,   now   prefented  an  uninterrupted 
feries  of  crofs  fires  to  the  enemy,   for  the 
fpace  of  feven  leagues.     I  had  a  right  to- 
prefume,  likewife,    that    not   having  at- 
tempted to  force  the    paffige   when    the 
channel  was  without  defence,   the  Ruffi- 
ans had  abandoned   the  project.     I   was 
ftill   further  fenfible,    that   my   prefence 
would  be  more  ufeful  at  Conftantinople, 
than  at  the  Dardanelles,  even  for  the  de- 
fence, of  the  caftles,  if  I   could  fuccecd 
D  3  in 


7^  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

in  improving  the  conflrudtion  of  gun- 
carriages,  and  the  fchool  ofartillery,  two 
objeds  equally  interefting. 

The  little  road  of  Nagara,  where  more 
than  threefcore  European  veflels  were 
detained,  afforded  me  the  opportunity 
of  hiring  a  French  (hip,  on  board  of 
which  I  embarked,  and  which  brought 
me  within  fix  leagues  of  Conflantinople, 
where  we  met  with  contrary  winds  j  but 
I  was  too  impatient  to  purfue  my 
operations,  to  give  way  to  that  difHcultVj 
and  procuring  a  boat  with  four  oars,  1 
v;as  conveyed  to  the  capital.  My  firfl 
care  was  to  inform  the  governmentj 
d]at  if  Conftantinople  h?.d  no  longer  any 
thing  to  apprehend  from  the  appearance 
of  the  Ruffian  fleet,  it  was  neccflary  to 
its  tranquillity  to  prevent  the  little  harraf- 
fingdefcents  the  enemy  might  make  in 
the  Gulph  of  Efnos.  No  meafures,  in 
fadl,  had  been  taken  to  guard  that  coaft; 
and  although  thefe  incurfions  could  have 
no  other  object  than  to  lay  wade  fome 
villages,  fuch  was  the  fituation  of  the 
people's  minds,  that  the  news  of  the 
landing  of  two  hundred  men,  fwelling 
until  it  had  reached  the  capital,  might 

have 


BAROM     D£    TOTT.  79 

have  produced  the  greatefl:  confufion. 
Thefe  confiderations,  fubmitted  by  me 
to  the  Grand  Signior,  determined  his 
Highnefs  to  raife  his  Selidlar  to  the  dig- 
nity of  Pacha  with  three  tails,  with  the 
title  of  Serafkier  on  that  coaft.  But  I 
foon  learnt,  that  this  man,,  arrived  at  his 
pod,  was  furrounded  only  by  a  few  un- 
derflrappers,  more  able  to  harrafs,  than 
defend  the  country  ;  and  on  my  repre- 
fenting  to  the  Vifir  the  impropriety  of 
trufting  to  a  General  without  troops, 
"  So  much  the  worfe  for  him,"  replied 
he,  very  coolly,  ''  he  is  employed  to 
defend  the  coaft,  if  the  enemy  lands, 
his  head  (hall  anfwer  for  it !"  When 
any  nation  can  reft  contented  with  fuch 
a  fecurity,  nothing,  doubtlefs,  can  pre- 
ferve  it  from  the  horrors  of  war,  but  the 
negligence  of  its  enemies  ;  and  it  was  to 
that  circumftance  alone,  that  the  Porte 
was  indebted  for  the  firft  fucceffes  of 
HafTan. 

This  Turk,  whom  I  had  left  at  the 
Dardanelles,  where  we  have  feen  him 
make  very  light  of  the  mechanical  pow- 
ers, had  conceived  the  projed  of  em- 
barking with  four  thoufand  volunteers, 
D  ^  in 


8o  MEMOIRS     OF    THE 

in  fmall  boats,  and  without   any  artille* 
ry,  to  raife  the  fiege   of  Lemnos,  and 
drive    away   the    Ruffian   fleet.      1   had 
confidered   this   as    a    mad    expedition; 
nor  could  it,  in  fadt,  bejuftified,    but  on 
the   prefunnption    that   there  was  not  a 
fingle  frigate  on  the  look-out,  to  fend  all 
thefe   adventurers   to  the    bottoin ;   that 
they  would  be  able  to  efFedt  their  land* 
ing  with  fuch  fecrecy,  as  that  the  troops 
employed  in  the  fiege  fhould  receive  no 
intelligence  ofitj  that,  furprized  by  Haf- 
fan,  they  fhould  adopt  no  other  meafure 
than   a  fhameful  flight  towards   the  har- 
bour of  St.  Anthony;  that  purfued   to 
the    very  fhore,  the  protcdion   of  their 
fquadron,  far  from  encouraging  them  to 
make  a  (land,   fhould  only    infpire  them 
with  a  defire  of  taking  refuge  on  board  j, 
and,  in  (hort,  that  after   having  compelr 
led  them  to  embark   in  the  greateft  dif- 
order,    HaiTan,     and     his    companions, 
piftol    in  hand,    (hould    from  the  beach 
behold  a  fquadron  of  fcven  fliips    of  the 
line    weigh    anchor    with    precipitation-. 
I  had  thought  it  my  duty  to   oppofe   this 
projed  at  Conftantinople  ;   but  after  diff 
cuffing  it  with  the  Vifir,   he   coolly  aor 

fwered^ , 


3AR0N    D£    TOTT.  ^^t 

fwcrcd,  "  1  conceive  the  folly  of  the  plaa 
propofed  by  HafTan  j  but,  at  all  events, 
it  will  be  four  thoiifand  rafcals  the  few- 
er j — that  is  well  worth  a  victory  I"  Ic 
w:is  only  in  this  point  of  view  that  the 
expedition  was  permitted  to  take  place  ; 
and  it  was  with  fuch  inadequate  means 
that  the  fortunate  HalTan  executed,  or 
rather  faw  the  execution,  of  an  impoi- 
fibility, 

I  had  availed  myfeif  of  the  fecret  me- 
thods by  which  I  approached  the  Grand 
Signior,  to  make  this  Prince  fenfibie  of 
the  neceffity  of  providing  the  artillery  of 
the  Dardanelles  with  carriages  of  a  bet- 
ter conflrudtion,  and  with  more  ikilfui 
gunners.  The  Turkifh  army  deitroyedj. 
or  at  lead,  totally  routed,  at  the  alialr 
of  Craoul,  had  already  made  his  High- 
nefs  imagine^,  that  the  quick  firing  of  the 
Ruffian  artillery  was  the  principal  caufe. 
of  the  difcouragement  of  his  troops.  1. 
was  afked,  by,  his  orders,  whether  1  could 
form  gunners  to  that  fort  of  exercife  ? 
(unknown. 'till  then  amongft  the  Turks  *),. 
D  5  and 

*  Their  artiifery  was  Co  badly  ferved,  that  in  a 
Journal  of  the  Siege,  fent  by  the  '  urks,  they  an- 
irounced  with  emphafis,  as  fomething  extraordina- 
ry, *  that  after  paffing  the  whole  night  in  loading, 
they  had -made  a  devril  of  a  fire  in  the  morning  !' 


8'2:  JTEMOIRS    OF    THE 

and  on  my  anfwer,  he  ordered  the  Viffr 
and    his    Minifters  to    confer  with  mCy 
andto  countenance  every  meafure  I  might 
deem  ufeful  on  the  fubjedl. 

If,  when  Conftantinople  was  in  immi- 
nent danger,  from    the   burning   of  the- 
Ottoman  fleet,    the   Turkifh    Minifters 
faw  me  with  pleafure  accept  a  commifll- 
on  from  the  Grand  Signior,  that  implied 
a  degree  of  confidence  of  which  they  were 
not  jealous,  they  did  not  with  the  fame 
indifference  behold  that  confidence  ex- 
tended to  objects,  from   whofe    manage-- 
ment  they  had  been  accuftomed  to  gra- 
tify their  own  avidity,  and  that   of  their 
favourites.     Sultan  Muftapha,  however, 
was  too  abfolute,  to  fuffer  them   to  puf 
the  fanatical    law,    or  rather  abfurd  cuf- 
tom,  in  force  againft  me,   which  forbids 
all  true  believers   to   avail   themfelves  of 
the   fervices    of    a   Chriftian.     Befides, 
the  firft  difficulty  had  already   been   got 
over;  and  the  Minifters,  who   began  to 
be  jealous   of  me,  contented- themfelves: 
v;ith  requiring  that  I  ftiould    remain  in- 

cognito. The  Grand  Signior's  name,, 

which  they  made  vSc  of  to  make  me  af- 
fume  the  drefs  of  an    interpreter,  under 

the 


EARONDETOTT,  83 

the  fpecious  pretext  that  the  populace 
would  be  diflurbed  at  feeing  an  Europe- 
an employed  in  matters  hitherto  in- 
truded only  to  Muffuimen,  did  not 
perfuade  me,  either  that  the  Grand 
Signior  had  himfelf  expreffed  that  ridi- 
culous apprehenfion,  or  that  the  popu- 
lace, after  feeing  me  command  at  the 
Dardanelles,  would  be  uneafy  at  my  be- 
ing employed  in  operations  of  much  lefs 
apparent  importance.  For  the  prefent, 
however,  I  fubmitted  to  the  lowjealoufy 
of  the  Minlfters.  I  knew  their  weak 
Cide'y  the  Grand  Signior  was  defirous  of 
employing  me,  and  bent  upon  it  j  and 
his  Minifters  dreaded  both  his  warmth 
of  difpofition,  and  the  opinion  he  enter- 
tained of  their  incapacity.  They  were 
apprehenfive,  alfo,  left  I  fhould  avail 
myfelf  of  the  afcendance  I  had  over  him, 
to  bring  about  fome  change  in  the  Mi- 
niftry.  But  if  they  were  juftified  by 
their  fears  in  their  defire  of  o-ettino- rid  of 
me,  they  ought  to  have  confidered,  that 
they  might  poffibly  exchange  an  eventu- 
al danger,  for  the  more  certain  one  of 
incurring  the  difpleafure  of  their  rnafter. 
Armed  with   this  prote6tion,  therefore, 

which 


84  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

which  it  was  in  my  power,  at  any  time;., 
to  turn  againft  them,  I  went  to  the 
Porte,  afluming,  at  the  fame  time,  the 
foiemn  air  adapted  to  my  new  drefs  and 
character. — I  liftened  coldly  to  the  diffe« 
rent  fubje6ls  which  the  Grand  Vifir  was 
commiiTioned  to  difcufs  with  me.  The 
fchool  for  quick-rfiring  was  that  which 
the  Grand  Signior  wifhed  me  immedi- 
ately to  begin;  and  1  perceived  very 
plainly,  from  the  earneftnefs  with  which 
the  Vifir  urged  this  matter,  that  the 
Grand  Signior  had  not  given  him  the 
power  to  controul  me  in  the  means  I 
might  think  proper  to  make  ufe  of.  Con- 
tinuing at  our  feeond  conference,  the 
next  day,  to  afFe6l  an  indifference  and 
tardinefs  to  fet  about  it,  which  were  by 
no  means  habitual,  the  Vifir  anxioully 
inquired  if  I  was  ill,  or  had  any  caufe  of 
difcontent,  which  had-  diminilhed  m*y 
zeal  ?  ''  Not  at  all  ;"  faid  I,  ''  I  only 
experience  the  natural  effect  of  the  drefs 
you  have  put  o-n  me,  which  invites  to  in- 
dolence, and  produces  a  fort  of  apathy, 
that  already  begins  to  gam  upon  me; 
and  if  you  perfift  in  making  me  wear  it,  I 
fliall  very  foon  be  on  a  level  with  every 

thing; 


EAR  Of?    DE    TOTT'.  B'J 

thing  around  me."- — ^'  You  think  then," 
fays  the  Firfl:  Minifter  to  me,  laughing^ 
'*  that  our  drefs  has  an  influence   on  ouf 
aflivity  ?  That  is  very  poffible,"  continue 
ed  he ;  *^  but,  however  that  may  be,  as 
the  Grand  Signior  knows  your  adivity^ 
aad  wifhes  to  nnake  ufe  of  it,  and  would 
not  be  pleafed  with  us  if  he  faw   it  dimi- 
nifhed,  drefs  yourfelf  as  you   think  pro- 
per;  afk  us  for  what  you  want,  and  haf- 
ten,  as  much  as  poffible,   I  befeech  you, 
the  preparations  for  the  firft  proof  of  the 
q.uick  firing,  at  which  the  Grand  Signior 
intends  to  be  prefent."     The  Porte  fenc 
me,  the  next  morning,   an  ardllery  oiii^ 
cer,  in  full  drefs>  with   orders   to  attend 
me  every  where;    to  precede  me,  ftafFin 
hand,  and  to  look  after  the  fafety  of  my 
perfon,  as  well  as  to  procure  me  free  acr 
cefs  to  the  founderies,  the  arfenals,   and 
fuch  other  places  as  I  might  find  it  necef- 
fary  to  vifit.. 

I  luckily  found  two  fmall  four  poun- 
ders, taken  from  the  Ruffians  in  the 
war  preceding,  the  treaty  of  Belgrade; 
but  they  wanted  mounting,  and  the  ne^- 
ceiTary  implements.  The  necellity  of 
forming  workmen  to  this  aew  fort  of  lar 

bour,. 


86  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

bour,  rendered  this  firil  attempt  more 
difagreeable  and  difficult  on  account  of 
the  plague,  which  carried  off  that  year 
one  hundred  and  fifty  thoufand  fouls  at 
ConftantinoplCj  and  was  ftill  raging  with 
the  greateft  violence.  Compelled,  per- 
fonally,  to  direv5l  the  workmen,  feveral 
of  whom  were  attacked  with  this  difor- 
der,  I  had  no  other  j)rerervation  than 
the  falubrious  air  of  the  farges,  to  which 
1  added  the  precaution  of  ufingonly  the 
end  of  my  cane  in  giving  diredlions  ; 
but  what  contributed  ftill  more,  per- 
haps, to  preferve  me  from  this  fcourge, 
was  my  refolution  not  to  give  v/ay  to  the 
melancholy  ideas  it  prefents. 

The  Jews,  who  invariably  become 
maftersofthat  induftry  which  is  negledl- 
ed  or  defpifed,  are  in  poffeflion,  atCon- 
ftantinople,  of  all  the  works  wherein 
hogs  briftles  are  employed,  and  were  of 
crreat  fervice  to  me  in  the  fabrication  of 
rammers.  I  laboured  fo  much  in  pub- 
lic, that  none  of  my  operations  were  un- 
known, but  without  being  aware  that 
any  of  them  could  give  offence.  I  was 
informed  that  the  Grand  Signior  propo- 
fed  to  aiTift  at  the  firft  leflbns  I  gave  to  a 

detachment 


BARON     DETOTT.  Sj 

detachment   of  fifty    Turkifh  gunners, 
who  were  to  be  my   pupils.     The  Vifir, 
hearing  that  my  little  artillery  was  ready, 
ordered  tents  to  be  prepared  at  Kiathana, 
the  fituation  of  the  fchool,  and  1  then  un- 
derftood,  that  inllead  of  a  vifit  from  the 
Grand  Signior,  I  fhould  only  receive  one 
from  his  Minillers.     1  attended  early  in 
the  morning  to  receive  this  little  court. 
The  chief  of  the  artillery  had  preceded 
me,  and  made  them  falute  me  on  my  ar- 
rival,  driving,  no  doubt,   by    this  mark 
of  politenefs,  which  I  took  in  good  parr, 
to  conceal   the   little  treachery  he    had 
prepared  for  me,  and  of  which  I  had  no 
idea. 

From  the  order  of  march  eflablifhcd 
for  the  Minifters  of  the  Porte,  all  the  infe- 
rior ofncers  in  the  fuite  of  the  Grand  Vi- 
fir,  arrived  before  him,  and  I  began  to 
fufpedtfome  affront,  when  I  faw  the  Grand 
Treafurer  make  his  appearance  the  fird. 
1  advancedtomeet  him.  "  Where  are  the 
pieces  you  have  prepared  ?''  faid  he,  with 
an  air  of  prepoffefnon — ^^There,"  I  repli- 
ed, "  in  the  middle  of  that  crowd  which 
furrounds  them."  Upwards  of  ten  thou- 
fund  people^,,  iafadl,  had-  come  from  the 

city,. 


83-  M  EMOI  R  S     OF    T  HE 

ciiy,  to  fee  this  method  of  firing  the  gun.?-, 
fo  that  it  was  with  fome  difficulty  we 
could  get  through  the  populace,  who> 
fhow  no  refpeA  to  perfons,  and  only  give 
way  to  violence.  The  firft  obfervation 
of  the  Grand  Treafurer,  opened  my  eyes 
to  the  trick  they  intended  playing  me». 
'^  What  is  that?"  fays  he  to  me,  pointing, 
to  a  rammer,  made  in  the  form  of  a 
brufli,  to  ferve  by  way  offpunge.  I  pre^ 
tended  not  to  perceive  the  drift  of  this 
queftion.  "  It  is  a  rammer,"  replied  I ; 
— ''  Very  weli,"'faid  he,  '*  but  lafkyou, 
What  is  that  around  it  r" 
Baron, 

It  is  thefpunge. 

"Treafurer. 

That  is  not  what  I  afk  you.    It  feems 
as  if  you   had  forgot  the    Turkifh  lan- 
guage ;    but  I  mud  fpeakmore  plainly  5. 
what  is  the  brufh  made  of? 
Baron. 

It  is  poITible  I  might  not  have  under., 
flood  you  J  but  your  eyes  might  inform 
yoUj  that  it  is  hair. 

Trea/urer. 

That  I  fee  very  clearly  j   but  what  fort 

of  hair  ? 

Baron*' 


B-ARON    D£    TOTT.,  89 

Bar  an. 

Oh  !    Since  you  are  determined  that  1 
fhould  name    it,   they  are  hogs  bridles  s 
the  only  hair  proper  for  the  purpofe. 
Treafurer, 

And  that  is  precifely  what  we  cannot 
make  ufe  of. 

Baron. 

You  mufl:,  however,  refolve  to  make 
ufe  of  it  J  and  if  the  Mufti's  fetfa  be  ne- 
ceflary  for  that  purpofe,  I  undertake  to 
procure  it* 

Here  the  crowd  v/hich  furroundcd  us, 
and  had  already,  murmured  amongfl 
themfelves,  broke  out  into  the  general 
cry  of,  God  preferve  us  from  it-.  The 
Grand  Treafurer  turned  pale,  and  taking 
me  by  the  arm,  "  For  God's  fake,'*  fays 
he  to  me,  with  a  trembling  voice,  *'  don't 
mention  the  name  of  theMufci.  Would 
you  have  us  torn  to  pieces?"  But  I 
was  fo  provoked  at  thefe  abfurdities, 
that,  regardlefs  of  his  advice,  I  faid  a- 
loud,  raifin^  my  voice,  *'  What  fignifies 
this  ridiculous  clamour  about  hogs  brifr 
ties,  when  all  your  iVlofques  are  full  of 
them  ?"  Thefe  lad  words,  which  1  had 
purp.ofely  let  drop,  completed  the  agita- 
tion 


90  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

tion  of  the  people,  and  the  terror  of  the 
Grand  Treafurer,  who  already  thought 
he  faw  the  place  flowing  with  blood.  I 
mounted  immediately  on  a  gun-carriage, 
from  whence  viewing  the  multitude, 
whofe  fanatic  murmurs  were  redoubled, 
the  word Ji/e}?ce,  which  1  pronounced  fo 
firmly  as  to  aftonilh  them,  ferved  me  in- 
ftead  of  the  right  of  commanding  it. 
Profiting  by  the  momentary  calm  I  had 
produced,  I  cried  out,  ''  If  there  be  a 
painter  amongfl:  you,  let  him  appear  and 
decide  this  matter."  A  venerable  old 
man,  raifing  his  voice,  fays,  "  I  am  a 
painter  J  what  would  you  haver" — ''I 
wiih,"  replied  I,  *'  if  you  are  a  good 
Muflfulman,  that  you  v/ill  tell  the  truth 
by  anfvvering  the  queflions  I  am  about 
to  put  to  you."  During  this  fcene,  the 
Grand  Treafurer,  as  much  amazed  as  any 
body,  recovering  from  his  fright,  and 
fufpe6lir:g  that  I  wanted  to  make  ufe  of 
the  painter  to  extricate  us  from  our  dif- 
ficulty, made  him  approach,  and  order- 
ed him  to  be  accurate  in  his  anfwers. 
The  B^ron  (to  the  Painter.) 
Have  you  ever  painted  the  infide  of  a 
Mofque  ? 

Palniet\ 


BARON     DE    TOT  T.  gi 

Painter. 
Several  of  the  men;  confiderable  ones. 

Baron. 
What  tools  did  you  make  ufe  of? 

Painter. 
Of  leveral  colours. 

Baron. 
Remember  you  are  a  MufTulmanj  and 
that  you  owe  homage  to  the  truth.  Why 
do  you  equivocate  ?  A  colour  is  not  a 
tool;  it  is  only  one  of  the  means  ;  you 
niakcufe  of  brulhes  ;  Of  what  were  your 
large  ones  made  ? 

Painter. 
They  areof  white  hair-*-we  buy  them^ 
ready  made — we  do  not  make  them. 
Baron, 
You   knov/,  however,   what  animal's 
hair  it  is  j    and  that  is  what  you  mud  tell 
me. 

The  Treajurer  (to  the  Painter^) 
Yes  ;  you  mud  tell  the  truth  ;   it  is  of 
importance  to  know  it. 
The  Painter  (to  the  Treafurer^    raifing 
his  voice,) 
In   that  cafe,   your  Excellency,  I  will 
tell  it;  all  our  painting   brufhes   are  of 


hogs  briftles: 


The 


92  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

The  Barm  (to  the  'Painter.) 

Very  well;  but  this  is  not  all:  What 
becomes  of  the  hair  after  you  have  done 
with  your  painting  br u flies  ?  and,  when 
the  Mofque  is  finifhed,  what  do  you  car- 
ry home  with  you  ? 

Fainter. 

rfaith,  I  have  never  brought  any  thing 
back  but  the  handlesj  the  hair  is  left 
flicking  to  the  walls-. 

Baron^ 

You  fee,  then,  that  as  the  hogs  bridles 
do  not  defile  your  Mofques,  there  can  be 
no  harm  in  making  ufe  of  them  againfl 
your  enemies. 

The  cry  of,  Fraije  to  God  I  was  the 
unanimous  anfwer  of  the  people  j  and  the 
Grand  Treafurer,  tranfported  with  a  joy 
the  more  lively,  as  it  fucceeded  to  fear,, 
pulls  off,  in  a  moment,  a  magnificent  pe- 
lice  of  Siberian  marten,,  throws  it  on 
the  ground,  gets  hold  of  one  of  the  ram- 
mers, plays  it  about  in  the  piece  ;  ''  Come 
my  friends,"  fays  he,  "  let  us  make  ufe 
of  this  new  invention,  for  the  fafety  and 
glory  of  all  true  believers. 

The  ridiculous  termination  of  this 
fc.ene  was   undoubtedly    worthy   of  the 

fubjed:,. 


BARON     DE    TOTT,  93 

fubjefl.  The  Treafurer  was  contented, 
and  the  people  inchanted  -,  but  this  proof 
of  their  general  folly  would  have  deter- 
mined me  to  abandon  them  there,  had 
not  even  the  difficulties  themfelves  been 
a. fort  of  fpur  to  me,  which  it  was  impof- 
fible  to  refifl. 

This  tranfadion  being  related  to  the 
Vifir,  and  the  other  Minifters  on  their 
arrival,  difpofed   them  for  the  applaufes 
they  beftowed  on  the  agility  of  the  gun« 
ners,  which  did  not  make  them  exceed, 
however,   five  fhot  in  a  minute,  in  this 
firfl    attempt.     This    was,    doubtlefs,   a 
great  deal  for  the  Turks;  and  one  might 
have  hopes  that  younger  men  than  they 
had  given  me,  would  only  require  exer- 
cifing  for  fome  time,  to  arrive  at  the  de- 
fired  degree  of  perfe6lion.  Several  Turks, 
even   amongft  the  fpedators,  offered  to 
enter  into  the  fervice;   but  every  body 
found  fault  with   the  crooked  rammers, 
and   imagined,   that  by  Amplifying  that 
inftrument,   it  might   be  rendered  more 
commodious.     This  popular  obfervation 
had  reached   the  Vifir's   tent  before  my 
arrival.     My   little  troop   had   followed 
mc  there,  and  the  Grand  Treafurer,   al- 
ways 


94  MEMOI  RS    OF    TH  E  - 

ways  the  firfl  to  fpeak,  began  by  propof- 
ing  the  ftraight  rammer  as  the  eafieft.  I 
combated  this  opinion,  and  pointed  cut 
the  danger  to  which  the  gunners  would 
be  expofed.  "  Goodl"  replied  he, 
gaily  ; — ^^  A  few  gunners  more  or  lefs — 
What  does  that  fignify,  provided  the 
Grand  Signior  be  well  ferved  ?"  This 
obfervation  appeared  to  me  fo  indecent, 
and  the  occafion  of  revenging  myfelt^on 
this  Minifler,  and  of  ingratiating  myfelf 
with  the  people,  fo  favourable,  that 
raifing  my  voice  fo  as  to  be  heard  by  the 
gunners,  who  lined  the  door  of  the  tent, 
I  anfwered  him,  "  That  not  being  able 
to  feparate  the  Grand  Signior's  interefl: 
from  the  prefervation  of  his  fubjeds,  I 
would  never  allov/  myfelf  to  treat  them 
fo  wantonly  ;  and  that  I  would  fooner 
renounce  the  glory  of  ferving  him,  than 
have  to  reproach  myfelf  with  the  fmallefl: 
accident."  This  fhort  harangue,  by  ex- 
citing a  fudden  murmur  amongft  the 
gunners,  and  the  people  aflembled  in  a 
crowd  behind,  extorted  the  applaufes  of 
the  Vifir;  and  when  I  went  out  to  make 
them  renew  the  exercife,  the  troop  of 
gunners,  flill  inflamed  with  what  they 
?  had 


BARO^DETOTT.  95 

had  heard,  preflfed  around  me,  lifted  me 
from  the  ground,  returned  thanks  to  God 
for  my  anfwer,  and  frequently  repeated, 
with  a  very  loud  voice, — '^  A  few  Trea- 
furers,  more  or  lefs — What  does  that 
fignify,  provided  the  Grand  Signior  be 
well  ferved  ?" 

The  fecond  part  of  the  exercife  was 
fcarcely  finifhed,  before  the  Grand  Vi(ir 
defired  to  fpeak  to  me.  *^  Your  eflay 
has  fucceeded  fo  well,"  fays  he,  "  that 
we  can  no  longer  doubt  of  fuccefs,  when 
you  have  taken  all  the  necelTary  mea- 
fures,  on  which  fubjed:  we  fhall  defire 
the  Grand  Signior's  orders  ^  but  as  it  is 
cuftomary  for  all  the  offices  to  be  kept 
Ihut  during  our  abfence  from  the  Porte, 
and  as  our  excurfions  are  a  fort  of  recre- 
ation we  very  feldom  enjoy,  and  which 
we  willingly  prolong,  I  fhould  be  glad 
if  you  would  make  the  gunners  fire  at  a 
mark  ;  you  will  flay  with  us  in  the  mean 
time,  and  we  will  converfe  together, 
which  will  ferve  to  amufe  us.'*  A  butt 
I  had  made  them  ere6l  in  the  face  of  the 
Vifir's  tent,  had  given  him,  undoubt- 
edly, this  idea.  In  vain  did  I  objedl  to 
him,    that  the  pieces   were   too   fhort ; 

that 


gS  MElClOrRS    OF   THE 

that  they  would  very  ill  anfwer  the  ob- 
jeft  propofed  ;  and  that  no  fliot  would 
touch  the  butt,  where  there  was,  befides, 
only  one  piquet. — ^'  That's  of  no  con- 
fequence,"  fays  he  j  '*  they  will  make  a 
noife,  and  that  is  all  we  want."  The 
pieces  were  immediately  drawn  up  be- 
fore the  Vifir's  tent,  from  whence  we 
amufed  ourfelves  for  fome  time  with  ob- 
ferving  the  fliot,  which,  as  I  had  fore- 
feen,  went  fometimes  to  the  right,  and 
fometimes  to  the  left.  During  this  bufi- 
nefs,  which  afforded  fufficient  amufement 
for- the  Minifters  of  a  great  empire,  the 
Treafurer,  always  ready  to  diftinguifli 
himfelf,  and  who  had  never  ceafed  to 
reproach  the'gunners  with  their  want  of 
fkilJ,  announced  to  us  that  he  was  going 
to  try  his.  He  rifcs  immediately,  takes 
off  his  pelice,  tucks  up  his  cloaths,  takes 
poffeffion  of  one  of  the  pieces,  and  making 
one  of  his  fervants  affifl:  him,  he  employs 
his  whole  attention  in  pointing  it  well. 
Curious  to  examine  it  clofer,  and  watch- 
ing fome  opportunity  of  punilhing  him 
for  the  adventure  of  the  morning,  I  rofc 
to  get  nearer  to  him,  and  made  a  fign  to 
the  punner  to  offer  him  the  match,    that 


1  migh: 


BARON     DETOTT.  py 

I  might  amufe  myfelf  with  his  embar- 
rafTment,  in  making  ufe  of  it :  his  hand 
trembled  fo  much,  that  he  never  could 
dired  it  to  the  powder. — '*  What,  then, 
you  come  here  to  give  us  leflbns,  and  are 
afraid  !"  I  fcized  his  hand  at  the  fame 
time,  and  diredled  it  to  the  priming ; 
but  he  had  pointed  it  fo  ill,  that  we 
could  not  obferve  the  diredlion  of  the 
ball. — ^'  You  are  as  aukward  as  the  reft 
of  them,'*  fays  the  Vifir  to  him,  on  our 
entering ;  "  and  I  am  very  certain  there 
is  nobody  but  Tott  who  can  give  us  lef- 
fons."  Then,  addreffing  himfelf  to  me, 
**  You  ought,"  continued  he,  "  to  fhow 
the  Treafurer  how  to  hit  the  butt,** — '^  I 
(halt  have  no  better  fuccefs,*'  replied  li 
and  whilft  he  was  infilling  on  the  one 
hand,  and  I  was  obje<5ling  on  the  other, 
to  an  experiment,  the  refult  of  which 
might  induce  them  to  imagine,  that  I 
knew  no  more  of  the  matter  than  them- 
felves,  the  King  of  France's  principal  In- 
terpreter, who  had  accompanied  me  to 
Kiathana,  fays  to  me,  in  French,  ^*  Why 
not  make  the  trial  ?  Perhaps  you  will 
touch  it."  The  Vifir  remarking,  from 
his  manner,  that  he  was  urging  me  to 
Vol.  IIL  E  fatisfy 


9^  MEMOIRS    OK    THE 

fatisfy  them,  redoubled  his  inftances,  and 
reduced  me,  at  lengfh,  to  the  neceflity 
of  pointing  one  of  the  pieces.  But  I  was 
£o  fure  of  nnifling,  that,  except  by  placing 
it  in  the  diredion  of  the  butt,  I  took  no 
pains  to  hit  the  mark.  Every  body, 
however,  admires  my  alertnefsj  the  gun- 
ner prepares  his  port-fire ;  all  eyes  are 
fixed  on  me;  the  piece  is  fired j  and 
I  really  partook  of  the  general  aftonifli- 
menc  on  feeing  the  piquet  cut  which 
marked  the  centre  of  the  butt.  The  cry 
ofMacballal*  refounded  from  every  quar- 
ter. The  Interpreter  applauded  himfelf 
for  his  prophecy  ;  and  the  Vifir,  whom  I 
tried  to  perfuade  that  it  was  only  a  chance 
ihot,  faid  to  me,  with  the  fignificant 
fmile  of  a  man  who  thinks  he  has  pene- 
trated fome  great  myftery,  "Beitfo: 
it  is  by  chance  4  but  this  proof  is  fuffici- 
ent;  w€  want  no  other;  and  have  no 
doubt  that  chance  will  always  befriend 
you.'*  I  made  many  fruitlefs  efforts  to 
remove  fo  ridiculous  a  prejudice;  but 
the  whole  of  this  day's  tranfadlions  feem- 
ed  deflined  to  difclofe  to  me  the  igno- 


ranee 


•  Machalla— (what  God  has  done !)  an  expref- 
fion  of  the  hi^heft  admiration. 


BARON     DE   TOTT.  g^ 

rancc  of  the  Turks.  I  obtained  the 
double  advantage,  however,  of  having 
overcome  the  difficulties  it  wifhed  to  op- 
pofe  to  innovations,  and  of  having  gained 
the  good  opinion  of  the  multitude. 

The  Grand  Signior,  to  whom  his  offi- 
cers gave  an  account  of  this  firft  effay, 
immediately  gave  orders  to  fend  able 
gunners,  and  every  thing  neceffary  for 
this  new  invention,  to  his  army.  The 
fpirit  of  this  order  was  unqueflionable, 
but  they  contented  themfelves  with  obey- 
ing its  literal  conflrudion.  Several  bales 
of  Engliih  flialloons,  purchafed  to  make 
10,000  cartouch-boxes,  made  very  good 
fummer  drefles  for  thofe  who  infpedled 
the  bufinefs;  fifty  four-pounders,  badly 
ca(V,  but  with  new  rammers,  were  put 
on  board  without  carriages,  becaufe  the 
order  had  not  mentioned  them.  The 
fifty  gunners  had  orders  to  accompany 
them  to  Varna,  where  they  mud  necef- 
farily  leave  their  cannon  buried  in  the 
fand  of  the  beach,  for  want  of  means  to 
tranfport  them;  and  this  was  the  whole 
fruit  of  the  punduality  of  the  Grand  Sig- 
nior's  Miniflers.  This  Prince  wa^  not 
long  in  hearing  of  the  fmall  fuccefs  of  the 
E  2  pains 


lOO  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

pains  he  had  given  himfclf;  and  the  Vifir 
who  commanded  the  army,  having  repre- 
fented  to  his  Highnefs  the  neceffity  of 
providing  him  with  pontoons,  and  per- 
fons  verfed  in  the  art  of  ufing  them,  (a 
method  until  then  unknown  amongft  the 
Turks)  Sultan  Muflapha  gave  me  that 
commiffion  :  he  ordered,  alfo,  that  it 
ihould  be  left  entirely  to  me. 

Convinced,  from  long  experience,  of 
the  mifapplication  of  fums  intended  for 
ufeful  fervices,  the  Prince  infilled,  above 
all,  that  the  treafury  fhould  only  account 
with  me  for  fuch  expences  as  fhould  be 
occafioned  by  my  work.  "  You  may," 
fays  the  Vifir  to  me,  "  take  what  money 
will  be  necelTary  for  you  -,  it  fhall  be  de- 
livered you  on  your  fimple  receipt : — 
and  this  mark  of  our  Emperor's  confi- 
fidence  ought  to  be  the  more  flattering  to 
you,  as  he  places  it  in  none  of  us.'*  "  1 
efleem  infinitely  the  motive  of  his  confi- 
dence," replied  I,  "  but  I  fhall  never 
allow  myfelf  to  make  ufe  of  it ;  and  full 
of  the  zeal  for  every  thing  interefling  to 
the  fervice  of  his  Highnefs,  there  is  no- 
thing I  would  refufe,  except  the  hand- 
ling of  his  money,"   The  Tefterdar,  and 

the 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  IO[ 

the   Reis   Effendi,    called  to  this   con- 
ference I  had  with   the  Prune  Minifter 
on  the  fubjedof  the  making  of  pontoons, 
joined  him  in  urging  me  to  condudt  the 
whole  bufinefs,  without  reftridion.     But 
I  perfifted  in  a  (king  for  an  honeft  man, 
who  alone  fhould  be  accountable  for  the 
money.     An  honeft  man!"   replied  the 
Vifir,   with  vivacity, — ^'  Where  ihall  we 
find  him  ? — As  for  me,   I  know  of  none. 
— Do  you  know  fuch  a  man  ?"  addreffing 
himfelf  to  the  Grand  Treafurer. — '^  No:" 
— anfwered   he.     The   Vifir,    turning,  ac 
length  to  the  Reis  Effendi, — ''  And  you 
— Can   you  name  us    an  honeft  man  ?*' 
'^  Lefs  than  any  body;"   faid  he,  laugh- 
ing.— ^*  I  am  acquainted  with  none  but 
rogues.*'     "   You   fee,   then,"    fays  the 
Prime  Minifter,  "  that  you  afk  for  what 
is   impoflible. — ^^See   to   what  we  are  re- 
duced ! — There  is  one  meafure,  however, 
to  be  adopted ; — we  can  remedy  the  dif- 
order,    by  ftriking  off  a  few  heads." — I 
was  the  more  fhocked  at  this  folution  of 
the   difficulty>  from  knowing  that  thefe 
judges,  fo   rigorous  towards  the   crimes 
of  others,   were  themfelves  the  real  caufe 

of 


I02  MEMOIRS     OF    THE 

of  them  ;   and,  unable  to  refift  nny  defire- 
of  giving  them  a  proof  of  it,  by  citing  a: 
recent  example,   *'  I  know,"   replied  I, 
**  that  yourHighnefs  is  the  depolitory  of 
the  Sovereign  authority  -,   but  from  the 
very  circumftance  of  its  emanation  from 
God,  you  can  only  make  ufe  of  it  with 
juflice," — *'  Do  you  think,  then,"  fays 
he,  interrupting  me,    **  that  one  lofes 
fight  of  juftice  in   punifhing  robbers  ?" 
**  Yes,  doubtlefs,*'    replied  1 5   "  when 
they  are  authorized  robberies,   they  are 
no  longer  puniQiable.     What  right  have 
you,  for  example,  to  be  fevere  againft 
the  depredations  of  the  Infpedtor  of  the 
frontiers,  whom  you  fent  off  lafl  week,, 
with  a  commiflion  to  examine  the  (Irong 
places,  and   fee  that    they   are  properly 
furnifhed  with  provilions  ?    His  appoint- 
ment cod   him   twenty  purfcs,   his  equi- 
page and  expences  mud  have  cofl:  him  as 
much  more  ,    there  is  no  falary  attached 
to  his  place: — Is  not  this  giving  a  tacit 
confent  to  the  hope  which  this  man  enter- 
tains of  doubling  what  he  has  advanced? 
— Would  it  be  jufl  to  call   him  to  ac- 
count for  the  abufes  refulting  from  his« 

fUUi- 


BARON"    DE    TOTT.  IO3 

fituation  X  ^  Sultan  Soliman/*  added  I, 
"  of  glorious  memory,  when  he  eda- 
blilhed  Infpeftors  over  all  the  depart- 
ments of  adminiftration,  allotted  them 
falaries  proportioned  to  their  employ- 
ments ;  he  had,  of  confequt^nce,  the 
right  of  punifhing  them.  To  fupprefs 
reafonable  emoluments,  is  to  authorize 
rapine  which  is  their  natural  fubftitute.— 
Fay  the  Treafurer  what  I  afk  of  you, — [ 
will  anfwer  for  his  honefty."  During 
this  harangue,  my  audience  were  look- 
ing at  each  other;  and  the  Vifir,  far 
from  making  any  objedfcions,  faid  to  his 
colleagues,  "  I  did  not  think  he  knew 
us  fo  well!" — It  was  at  length  determin- 
ed, that  fince  1  perfifled  in  defiringaper- 
fon  to  have  the  management  of  the  money, 
•they  would  propofc  Chamlu-HufTein  Ef- 
fendi  to  the  Grand  Signior  for  that  place. 
"  He  fhall  have  a  falary  -,  but/'  added 
the  Vifir,  laughing,  ^*  wc  do  not  advife 
you  to  anfwer  for  his  integrity.'* 

E  4  The 

X  It  was  on  the  report  of  an  infpedion  made  on 
thefe  principles,  that  during  the  negociation  of  Bel- 
grade, the  Porte  affured  M.  de  Villeneuve,  that  the 
Ibrtrefs  of  Oczakovv  was  perfedly  well  provifioncd  ; 
and  it  was  taken  a  fhort  time  after  fov  want  of  the 
ftores  necelTary  for  its  defence. 


I04  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

The  Grand  Signior  was  too  anxious  to 
fee  me  employed  in  the  conftruclion  of 
the  pontoons,  to  make  me  wait  for  the 
nomination  of  a  new  Intendantj  and 
Chamlu-HufTein,  who  had  been  with  the 
iaft  Turkifh  Ambaflador  in  France,  foon 
convinced  me,  that  the  Vifir  had  not 
made  choice  of  him  to  ceconomize  the 
cxpences  incidental  to  my  undertaking. 
I  cftablifhed  my  work-houfes  at  the  ar- 
fenal ;  and  whilft  I  was  fuperintending 
the  making  of  the  carcaflcs,  the  body  of 
braziers  employed  to  prepare  the  fheets 
of  copper,  brought  me  every  day  fuch 
fampies,  as  evinced  that  they  were  badly 
executed  from  dcfign,  more  than  from 
want  of  fkill.  The  ability  of  thefe 
workmen  in  handling  copper  is,  in  fa(5t, 
fo  well  known,  that  without  entertain- 
ing a  fufpicion  of  their  real  motives,  I 
perfifted  in  requiring  better  workman- 
fliip  from  them;  until,  at  length,  thefe 
unfortunate  people,  driven  to  defpair, 
And  not  daring  to  explain  themfelves  in 
the  prefence  of  the  overfeer,  took  the 
refolution  of  privately  appealing  to  my 
humanity  to  relieve  them  from  the  threat- 
ened  perfecution.      The   chief  of  that 

communityj 


BARON    DE    TOTT,  105 

community,  deputed  for  the  purpofe, 
acknowledged  to  me,  that  the  aukward- 
nefs  of  his  comrades  was  only  feigned. 
''  You  have  already  difcovered,"  faid 
he,  '^  a  part  of  our  fecret ;  I  am  come  to 
inftruft  you  with  the  whole  affair. — Tiie 
Porte  is  determined  to  make  us  liable 
to  the  price  o( Miry*,  We  are  ruined, 
if  you  employ  us  ;  and  we  fhall  be  fe- 
verely  puniQied,  if  you  complain  of  us: 
■■ — Our  fate  is  in  your  hands  1" — Thefe 
two  alternatives  were  alike  embarraflincr; 
but  1  made  no  fcruple  to  relieve  them 
from  the  difagreeable  refult.  Under 
pretence  of  the  advantage  of  light  pon« 
toons,  I  informed  the  Porte  the  next 
day,  that  I  would  make  them  be  flieath- 
edwith>  leather.  This  was,  undoubted- 
ly, relieving  the  braziers  at  the  expence 
of  the  tanners,  but  the  cheapnefs  of  the 
expedient  rendered  it  at  leaft  lefs  bur- 
thenfome. 

A  company   of  JanifHiries,  employed 
only  for  the  fire-engines,  and    who  lived 
E  5  in 

•  The  Miry,  or  Exchequer  of  the  Turks,  in- 
forces  the  barbarous,  but  unceconomical  law  of 
paying  at  fo  low  a  rate  for  all  the  public  works, 
that  the  government^  an<i  the  peribos  employed, 
equally  fufFer. 


I06  M'EM'OrRS    OF    THE 

in  barracks,  in  the  arfenal,  furniflied  me- 
great  numbers  of  workmen,  accuftomed,. 
by  working  at  the  leather  pipes,  to  the 
art  of  fewing  and  preparing  the  fheath- 
ing  of  the  pontoons.  The  Chief  of  this 
company  had  orders  to  affift  me:  this 
was  a  real  windfall  for  him,  which  pro- 
cured me  his  good-will,  and  animated 
his  zeal.  I  was  employed  about  the 
different  objeds  which  this  work  requi- 
red, when  the  Grand  Signior  urged  me 
to  throw  fome  pontoons  over  the  river  at 
Kiathana*,,  in  order  to  try  if  that  fort  of 

•    bridge,, 

*  A  paper-mill,  formerly  ellablifhed  on  this 
river,  has  given  it  this  name,  as  well  as  to  the* 
meadow  through  which  it  runs.  This  little  river^, 
which  falls  into  the  Tea  at  the  bottom  of  the  har- 
bour of  Conftantinople,  and  which  is  called  alfo' 
the  Frefh  Water,  is  particularly  celebrated  from  the 
Palace  built  on  it  by  Sultan  Achmet,  three  quar- 
ters of  a  league  from  the  capitaL  It  is  made  ufe  of 
by  the  Grand  Signior,  only,  for  his  parties  of 
pleafurc,  or  to  affift  at  the  exercife  of  the  artillery,, 
where  the  train  is  ellablilhed  ;  but  fome  cafcades,. 
which  decorated  the  Palace,  are  ilill  extant.  On. 
the  fides  of  the  valley,  too,,  are  to  be  feen  fome 
ruins  of  the  houfes  built  for  the  grandees.  This 
clumfy  imitation  of  Marly,  the  idea  of  which* 
was  given  by  the  father  of  the  laft  Turkifh  Am- 
bafiador,  was  deftroyed  by  the  rebels  who  dethron* 
ed  Sultan  Achmet. 

3- 


BARON    DE    TOTT.  I07 

bridge,  which  was  the  inceflant  obje£l  of 
ignorant  caluinny,  really  anfwered  the 
purpofe  of  tranfporting  the  artillery.  I 
went  to  the  arfenal  evtry  day ;  and  one 
morning,  in  fo  flippery  a  froit,,  that  in 
fpite  of  every  precaution,  1  could  not 
avoid  a  fall,  which  fprained  nny  left  foot. 
I  felt  nothing,  for  the  monnent,  but  a 
great  flifFnefs  -,  and  I  was  going  on, 
leaning  upon  my  fervant,  when  after  a 
few  fleps,  the  pain  became  fo  great,  that 
I  could  fcarccly  reach  the  barracks  of  the 
JanilTary  fire-men,  by  one  of  the  gates  of 
their  garden,  which  was  luckily  open.-— 
The  Colonel  was  not  there,  but  the  fol- 
diers  were  very  defirous  to  offer  me  every 
afliftance  they  thought  I  flood  in  need  of. 
One  offered  me  coffee,  another  a  pipe, 
and  another  afked  if  I  chofe  any  thing 
to  eatj  but  none  of  them  had  the  fmalleit 
idea  of  what  might  be  really  of  fcrvice; 
Although  I  had  nearly  fainted  away,  I 
had  recoiledlion  enough  to  perceive, 
that  with  fuch  dodors,  1  could  not,  with- 
out great  danger,  give  way  to  my  ex- 
treme pain.  I  collcdted,  therefore,  ail 
the  (trcngth  I  was  mailer  of,  and  made 
them  take  off  my  Ihoe  and  flocking,    to 

plunge 


lo8  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

plunge   my  foot   into   cold  water  ;  and 
the  JanifTaries,    who   would    never  have 
dreaait  of  this  remedy,  having  no  other 
machine,  brought   the  cooking  kettle  of 
the  company  *.      This    cold-bath   was, 
doubtlefs,  the  only  means  of   procuring 
me  an  eventual  relief,    but    it  increafed 
my  fufferings  for   the  time  to  fuch  a  de- 
gree, that  during  the  three-quarters  of 
an  hour  I  had  to  (lay  till   a   fedan-chair 
was  fent   for,  I    could  only  keep  myfelf 
from  fainting  away  by  fmelling  at  vine- 
gar, and  by  making  them  throw  water  on 
my  face.     The  JanifTaries  were  aftonifh- 
ed  that  I  fhouid  prefer  thcfe   remedies  to 
the  wine  and  coffee  which  they  continu- 
ally offered  me. — -This  accident  wasknown 
to  too  many  to  be  long  concealed,   and  I 
had  fcarcely  reached  my  own  houfe,  be- 
fore the  Vi  fir  fent  to  exprefs  the  concern 
it  gave  him.     Even  the  Grand  Signior 

was 

*  Therefpedin  which  the  pot  of  the  company 
is  held,  can  only  be  compared  to  that  which  we  be- 
ftow  on  our  colours  : — The  troop  is  diflionoured  if 
it  be  left  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  It  is  from 
this  prejudice  that  the  Colonel  is  called.  Giver  of 
Soup;  the  Major,  Chief  of  the  Kitchen  ;  and  that 
the  Scullions  and  Water-carriers,  are  the  Adjutants 
ef  the  company. 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  I09 

wasfo  good  as  to  make  inquiries  after  me  5 
but  that  Prince  was  too  adive  to  allow 
me  the  reft  I  ftood  in  need  of;  he  pref- 
fed  me  to  purfue  my  labours,  and  the 
advice  he  gave  me  to  be  carried,  and  to 
negledl  no  means  of  efFedling  my  cure, 
only  proved  that  he  was  impatient  to  fee 
the  pontoons. 

The  third  day  after  my  fall,  I  return- 
ed to  my  work-fbops,  and  the  bridge 
was  foon  thrown  over  the  river  Kiatha- 
na,  oppofite  the  kiofk  of  the  Grand  Sig- 
nior.  Sultan  Muftapha  chofe  to  be  a 
perfonal  witnefs  to  thefuccefs  of  the  un- 
dertaking. He  gave  orders  to  the  Arra- 
badgi-Bachi  *,  to  fend  four  pieces  of  can- 
non to  the  new  bridge,  and  his  High- 
nefs  gave  me  notice  to  be  there  after  the 
morning  prayer,  as  well  as  Chamlu-Huf- 
fein  EfFendi.  We  had  juft  arrived,  when 
a  boat  appeared  with  three  pair  of  oars, 

fuch 

*  The  Chief  of  the  Carriages: — This  poft  was 
cftablifhed  by  Sultan  Soliman,  who  founded  an  ef- 
tablifhment  at  the  fame  time  for  the  fupport  of  four 
thcufand  horfes,  to  draw  the  artillery;  but  the  roy- 
al domains  appropriated  to  that  ufe,  having  been 
fucceffively  granted  away  to  favourites,  the  fervice 
attached  to  thefe  grants  was  foon  forgotten  ;  and  the 
cannon  was  dragged  to  Kiathana  by  horfes  taken 
from  the  mills. 


no  MEMOIRS     OF    THE 

fuch  as  Is  daily  ufed  by  the  people,  but 
fo  eafily  diftinguifhable,  that  our  boat- 
men  were  not  deceived  in  their  conjec- 
tures. In  fa6l,  it  was  the  Grand  Signior, 
whom  we  faw  land  from  it  in  the  drefs 
of  an  Oda-Bachi  *.  He  was  accompa- 
nied by  two  of  his  people,  drefTed  like 
JanifTaries,  who  went  out  of  the  way  im- 
mediately on  their  arrival,  whilft  Huf- 
fein  Bey,  and  myfelf,  accompanied  Sul- 
tan Muftapha  to  the  bridge,  the  flruc- 
ture  of  which,  he  examined  with  a  great 
deal  of  attention.  He  made  them  pafs 
the  artillery  over  feveral  times,  and  neg- 
k6led  none  of  the  particulars  from  which 
he  might  derive  information  refpedling 
the  manner  of  conveying  and  making 
life  of  thefe  military  bridges.  The  Prince, 
who  had  kept  me  a  long  time  (landing 
upon  my  feet,  perceiving  that  I  fuffered, 
fpoke  to  me  of  my  accident  with  con- 
cern ;  and  myfatellite,  thinking  to  pay 
his  court  to  his  mafter,  by  faying  a  great 
deal  of  my  adivity,  dwelt  on  the  life  of 
fatigue  I  led  him,    by   which   he  only 

proved 

•  Chief  of  the  Quarters: '—This   military  charge 

anfwers  to  that  of  Captain  ;  and  amongft  the  Turks, 

the  different  ranks  and  profefrions  are  dillinguifhed 

by  the  form  of  the  turban. 


Baron  de  tott.  iir 

proved  his  own  idlenefs.     "  You  don't 
know,  then,"  fays  the  Grand  Signior  to 
him,   "  the  reafon  of  this  difference  be- 
tween you  ? — ril    tell  you   what  it  is.-— 
— When  Tott  was  born,  he   fell   on  his 
feet,  and  immediately  fctout  a  running; 
but  you  fell  on  your  backfide,  where  you 
have    remained!"      If  this    apoftrophe 
humbled  the  courtier,  he  was  foon  con- 
foled   for  it,   by   the  order  he  received 
from  his  mafter  on  embarking,   to  diflri- 
bute  a  bag  of  fequins  *  amongft  my  peo- 
ple.    The  quicknefs  with  which  Sultan. 
Muilapha  returned  to   his   boat,  made 
him  overlook  a  (lep    in  coming  out  of 
his  kiofk,  which  would  have  expofed  him 
to  a  very  dangerous   fall,    had    we  not 
immediately    fupported     him.      Whilft 
the  Prince,  in  going  to  his  boat,  was  ap- 
plauding the  fuccefs  of  the  new  bridge, 
and  urging  me  to  puih  forward  the  works 
neceffary  for  the  completion  of  pontoons 
for  his  army,  I  obferved  HufTein  wholly 
taken  up  in  making  a  hole   in  the  little 


.ag 


*  The  Sequin  is  a  piece  of  a  gold,  of  different 
values,  but  the  fequin  moll  in  ufe,  is  worth  about 
feven  livres,  or  five  (hillings  an4  tenpence,  Eng- 
luh. 


112  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

bag  offequins  he  had  in  his  pocket  §,  to 
mix  them  with  his  own;  fo  that  confound- 
ing his  generofity  with  that  of  the  Prince, 
my  colleague  contented  himfelf  with 
beftowing  ten  fequins  on  each  of  my  peo- 
ple, thinking  he  might  very  confcienti- 
oufly  refcrve,  at  lead,  two  hundred  for 
himfelf. 

The  Vifir,  and  the  Miniflers  of  the 
Porte,  were  extremely  jealous  of  the  in- 
terview I  hadjufl:  had  with  their  maflerj 
and  under  the  fpecious  pretext  of  letting 
the  people  partake  of  a  fight  as  ufualy  as 
it  was  new  to  Conllantinople,  but  really 
withthe  fole  view  of  rotting  the  pontoons, 
they  ordered  that  this  bridge  fbould  re- 
main on  the  river  until  further  orders. 
The  care  of  the  workmen  who  looked 
after  it,  prevented  the  bad  cffeds  of 
this  low  jealoufy  -,  the  people  availed 
themfelves  ofit ;  the  bridge  was  for  for- 
ty days  the  principal  obje6l  of  curiofity  j 
but  the  neceflity  of  opening  the  naviga- 
tion of  the  river,  obliged  the  Miniflers 

to 

§  The  Turks  have  always  their  under  habits  crof- 
fed,  and  faftened  by  a  girdle,  which  holds  every 
thing  they  put  under  thefe  lapelles,  between  the 
lining  of  which  there  are  pockets  for  their  watches, 
money,  and  other  articles  of  value. 


BARON    DE    TOTT.  I  tj 

to  wait  for  another  opportunity  to  injure 
me. 

1  had  fettled  it  with  the  Grand  Slgnior, 
that  the  fifty  pontoons  deftined  for  the 
army,  fhould  be  accompanied  by  a  fufE- 
cient  number  of  men  acquainted  with 
the  ufe  of  them,  and  by  a  commander 
who  fhould  learn  to  give  the  neceffary 
directions  ;  but  this  effentlal  article  was 
precifely  that  which  was  neglected.  All 
the  neceffary  implements  were  fent  off, 
every  thing  was  on  the  way  tojoin  the 
the  army,  and  the  chief  of  the  pontoon- 
crs  repaired  thither  with  his  troop,  with- 
out deigning  to  become  acquainted  ei- 
ther with  me,  or  with  the  pontoons. 

The  expedition  of  thefe  different  arti- 
cles, therefore,  ferved  only  to  incumber 
the  port  of  Varna;  and  the  Grand  Vifir 
very  foon  totally  forgot  what  he  had  the 
mod  earneftly  follcited  of  the  Porte. 

The  Ottoman  army  was  remaining  in- 
a6live  about  Babagdag,  where  it  had 
been  three  years  incamped.  The  pro- 
vifion  for  itsfupply,  which  the  ignorance 
of  their  Generals  could  not  eflimate,  and 
which  it  became  at  length  necedary  to 
calculate,  from  the  multitude  of  volun- 
teers 


114  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

teers  who  had  unexpededly  arrived,  of^ 
fering  alteri>ately  the  pidlure  of  abun- 
dance, or  of  famine, — profufion,  or  com- 
plaint,— increafed  the  wane  of  difcipline 
to  fuch  a  degree,  as  to  brave  that  au- 
thority which  wanted  energy  to  enforce 
it.  Defpotifm,  the  art  of  which  confifts 
not  in  prefcrving,  but  whofe  excellence 
lies  in  deftrudlion,  took  this  opportunity 
of  conferring  the  office  of  JanilTary-Aga 
on  Abdir-Pacha,  in  order  to  place  the 
civil  adminiftrationof  the  whole  army  in 
the  hands  of  a  man  who  had  the  repu- 
tation of  an  executioner.  And  his  firflj 
care,  in  fad,  v/as  to  fink  deep  wells,  and 
his  daily  occupation  was  to  fill  them  with 
dead  foldiers,  whom  he  ordered  to  be 
flrangled  on  the  flighteft  pretences,  and 
without  any  examination.  Abdir-Pacha 
had  not  been  three  months  in  office, 
before  the  public  reproached  him  with 
the  death  of  more  than  thirty  thoufand 
men ;  and  the  governm.ent  congratulated 
themfclves  in  having  difcovered  fo  effica- 
cious an  expedient  to  infure  plenty  and 
good  order.  The  methods  made  ufe  of 
by  the  Turks  to  furprize  their  enemies, 
are  no  lefa  fingular.     The  Grand  Trea^ 

furer 


BARON    D£    TOTT.  IIJ 

furer  has  been  feen  commanding  a  de- 
rachmen-t  by  night,  lighted  by  the  flame 
of  refinous  wood,  difpofed  for  that  pur- 
pofe  in  iron  machines  fixed  on  the  end 
of  long  poles.  Abdir-Pacha  received  the 
flirnanie  of  Maker  of  Wells ^  and  the 
Grand  Treafurer  was  thenceforward 
known:  only  by  the  name  of  lihe  Blazer. 

Befides  the  ignorance  of  the  Turks,  it 
is  alfo  a  fad,  that  their  army  was  defti- 
tute  of  a  train  of  field  pieces,  which  can- 
not be  difpenfed  with  even  by  the  great- 
eft  talents.  The  founderies,  already  ef- 
tablilhed,  could  not  be  employed.  All 
theprocefs  was  carried  on  in  furnaces  of 
Ufine  *,  and  the  brafs,  calcined  by  the 
adion  of  the  bellows,  and  then  cooled 
at  the  bottom  of  the  bafons,  fell  in  a  fort 
of  pafte  into  the  moulds,  the  defeds  of 
which  added  another  imputation  to  the 
pieces  that  came  out  of  them.  I  propo- 
fed  fetting  up  a  reverberating  furnace, 
and  a  machine  for  boring  the  pieces. 
The  fcheme  of  melting  without  bellows, 
of  running  the  metal  whole,  and  then 
boring,  made  the  Turkifli  founders 
laugh.  But  the  Grand  Signior  had  gi- 
ven 
*  FuTjiaces  ufed  for  calling  iron. 


Il6  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

ven  me  his  confidence  :  he  ordered  his 
Minifters  to  confer  with  me  on  the  fub- 
jed,  and  they  very  foon  took  every  means 
to  ruin  the  undertaking.     The  firfl  mea- 
fure  they  made  ufe  of,  was   by  rejedting 
my  propofal  of  inviting  to   Conftantino- 
ple  fuch  workmen  as  I  ftood  in  need  of, 
the  lift  of  whom  I  prefented  to  the   Vi- 
fir.     "  You  propofe  to   me   fuch  extra- 
ordinary  things/'  replied  the  Prime  Mi- 
nifter,    *^   that   our   mod    fkilful    artifts 
look  upon  them    as   impoflible.     Begin, 
by  proving  to  us  that  they   will    be  fuc- 
cefsful  ;   make   one  piece  only,   fuch   as 
you  talk  of;   it  will  then  be  time  enough 
to  fend  for  the  workmen  you  demand." 
Soabfurd  an  anfwer  would   havejuftified 
me,  no  doubt,  in  abandoning  the  Turks 
to  the  confequences  of  their    own    folly, 
and  it  really  fhocked  me  j    but   (hutting 
my  eyes  to  the  boldnefs  of  the  undertak- 
ing, we  agreed  that  I  fhould  go  the  next 
day,  with  one  of  the  officers  of  the  Porte, 
to  make  choice  of  the  place  for  the  efta- 
blifhment  of   the    new  foundery.     I  had 
no  fooner  taken  this  wife  refolution,  how- 
ever, than  refleding  on  the  enormity  of 
the  labour,   1  fet  my   brain  to  work  by 

what 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  II7 

what  means   to   accomplifh   it.     M.  Ic 
Comte  de  St.  Pried  could  not  be  igno- 
rant of  any  of  my  proceedings  ;  and  that 
AmbafTador    had,    befides,    a    perfonal 
claim  to  my  confidence,   from  the  fanc- 
tion  he  gave  to  every  thing  1  undertook 
in  order  to  increafe   my  reputation  with 
the  Porte,  with  a  zeal   to    be   found  a- 
mongfl:   very   few   men  in  his  fituation. 
The  projc6t  of  forming   an    intire  new 
train  of  artillery,   appeared  to   him  as 
arduous  an  undertaking  as  could    poffi- 
bly  be  attempted  ;  and  when  I  told  him 
what  had  pafled,  and  the  Vifir's   anfwer 
on  refusing  the  workmen,  he  was  fo  full 
of  indignation,    that    interrupting  me, 
brifkly,  "  I  hope,**   fays   he,  '*  that  you 
have  fent  them  a  begging  l"~*^Not  at 
all,"    replied   I  j     ^M   have  embraced 
their  propofal."     The  calmncfs   of  my 
anfwer,  however,  did   not  fatisfy  M.  de 
St.  Priefl  J  his  prudence   calculated  all 
the     inconveniencies ;    his    enlightened 
underftanding  forefaw  all  the  difficulties, 
which   were  exaggerated    by  his  friend- 
ship; and  I    could  only  make  him  eafy 
by  anfwering  for  fuccefs.     But  the  truth 
is,  that  this  was  a  circumftance  of  which 

ic 


Il8  MEMOIRS    OF   THE 

ic  was  as    necefTary  to  convince  myfelf. 
I  had  never  feen  a  foundery,  and  my  tafte 
for  the  arts,  which  had  always  nnade  one 
of  my  amufements,  had  never  inclined 
me  towards  that  with  which  nobody  can 
be  amufed.     The  fludy  I  was  obliged  to 
make  of  it,  therefore,   became  a  very  fe- 
rious  labour  for  me  ;  and  I  did  not  go  to 
the  rendezvous  with  the  Grand  Trcafurer, 
who  was  named   to  accompany  me  in 
looking  out  for  a  fpot  of  ground  for  the 
new  foundery,  until   1  had  ftudied  weli 
the  pofition,  and  nature  of  the  foil  pro- 
per forfuch  an  eftablifliment;  but  in  vain 
did   we  examine   every    fituation  which 
feemed  likely  to  fult  me  :  there  was  al- 
ways fome  objedion  ;   and  I  favv  clearly 
that  the  jealoufy   of  the  Minifters  was 
fuch,  as  to  enter  into  an  alliance  with  the 
very  waves  of  the  fea  to  frudrace  my  en- 
terprize  by  placing  me  on  its  banks.     It 
would  undoubtedly  have  been  more  pru- 
dent to  have  taken  advantage  of  this  frefli 
obftacle,  to  give  up  the  undertaking  al- 
together;   but    it  requires    no  common 
difficulty  to  make  one  abandon  a  favou- 
rite, though  an  ill-judged  projed.     I  on- 
ly  obferved,  therefore,  that  it  would  cofl 

th€ 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  lip 

the  Grand  Signior  more  money,  adding, 
rather  peevifhly,  to  let  the  Grand  Trca- 
furer  fee  that  1  faw  through  his  intention 
'*  That  if  he  would  not  hufband  his  maf- 
ter's  treafure,  I  would  eftablilh  the  foun- 
dery  in  the  middle  of  the  harbour.  The 
Cheir-Emini  *,  was  ordered  to  pay  the 
expences,  and  a  Greek,  who  called  him- 
felf  an  architect,  was  to  colle(5l  the  work- 
men, and  fee  that  they  executed  my  or- 
ders. I  had  lludied  the  original  plaa, 
and  found  means  to  keep  off  the  water; 
but  was  perpetually  under  the  necefllty 
of  uniting  pradlice  with  theory;  of  be- 
ing at  the  fame  time  architect,  mafon, 
ftone-cutter,  blackfmith,  and  lockfmith. 
My  plans  were  of  no  fervice  but  to  my- 
felf  i  no  other  perfon  could  make  any 
thing  of  them ;  there  was  no  analogy 
whatever,  between  the  work  I  ordered, 
and  that  to  which  the  workmen  were  ac- 
cuftomcd;  and  to  overcome  the  diffi- 
culty of  bad  habit,  I  have  often  been  o- 
bliged  to  put  the  mafon  to  the  forge, 
and  give  the  trowel  to  the  blackfmith. 
A  Greek,  however,  fkilled  in  the  art  of 

making 
•  The  Intendant  of  the  City.— His  poft  is  more 
ftridly  analogous   lo  that  of  fuperintendant  of  the 
buildings. 


I20  MEMOl  RS    OF    THE 

making  mills,  difplayed  fome  under- 
(landing  and  neatnefs  in  the  conftrudion 
of  the  machine  for  boring.  The  Me- 
moirs of  St.  Remy,  and  the  Encyclope- 
dia, were  my  daily  guides,  and  anfwered 
my  purpofe  until  the  moment  when  it  be- 
came necefTary  to  make  the  moulds; 
but  there  I  was  flopt  fhort.  The  earth 
of  the  ChartreuXj  the  only  earth  which  is 
mentioned,  without  pointing  out  its 
compofition,  giving  me  no  fort  of  infor- 
mation from  which  I  might  form  fome- 
thing  analogous,  I  had  recourfeto  a  mix- 
ture of  clay,  fand,  and  plafter,  as  a  fub- 
ftitute.  Every  thing,  in  fhort,  being 
prepared  for  putting  the  fire  to  the  fur- 
nace, I  filled  it  with  30,000  lb.  -  of  me- 
tal ;  and  the  matter  having  been  in  fufi- 
on  thirteen  hours,  during  which  time  I 
was  obliged  to  fupport  alone  the  fatigues 
of  a  labour  which  nobody  could  partake 
with  me,  Icaft  at  day  break  twenty-five 
cannon,  with  a  fuccefs  which  furprized 
and  inchanted  the  Turks,  made  M.  de  St. 
Prieit  eafy,  and  aftonifhed  me  more  than 
any  body.  I  then  made  no  fcrupie  of 
confefiing  to  the  Ambaflador,  that  this 
was  the  firfl  time  1  had  ever  feen   metal 

caft. 


BARON     DETQTT.  121 

cafl^  He  trembled  at  the  rafhnefs  of 
the  undertaking,  which  might,  in  fad, 
incur  the  imputation  of  folly ;  but  it 
cannot  be  denied,  that  a  fort  of  obftina- 
cy  of  the  will  and  docility  in  the  executi- 
on, are  two  powers  whidh  the  greatefl 
obflacles  are  feldom  able  to  refift. 

All  the  abfurdities  and  calumnies  which 
ignorance  and  knavery  had  circulated  to 
my  difadvantage,  difappeared.  The  pof- 
fibiiity  of  melting,  without  bellows,  was 
now  demonllratcd;  and  the  boring  ma- 
chine very  foon  left  no  doubt  of  the  per- 
feftion  of  the  new  undertaking.  The 
Forte  no  longer  oppofed  the  fending  for 
fuch  workmen  as  I  wanted.  The  lift  I 
had  prefented  was  agreed  to;  but  the 
perfon  at  Marfeilles,  to  whom  I  applied, 
had  made  fo  bad  a  choice  of  the  founder, 
that  I  was  always  obliged  to  fuperintend 
the  eafting,  nnd  at  length  to  difmifs  this 
man,  as  foon  as  my  carpenter,  whom  I 
employed  for  every  thing,  was  able  to 
replace  him. 

Whilft  I  was  labouring  at  Conftanti- 
nople,  to  furnidi  the  Turks  with  a  better 
train  oF  artillery,  that  of  the  RulTians, 
ading  on  the  Danube,  enfured  the  Grand 

Vol.  III.  F  Vifir's 


122  MEMOIRS    OF    TH  E 

Vifir's  countenance  in  nay  operations.  A 
few  bombs,  fired  a  ricochet,  having  dif- 
perfed  the  Ottoman  cavalry,  the  Porte 
anxioufly  demanded  fome  mortars  for  the 
fame  purpofe,  an4  fome  bombardiers  who 
were  able  to  ferve  them.  The  plain  of 
Ocmeidon  §  was  chofen  for  making  the 
proofs,  which  1  was  defired  to  prepare. , 
Every  thing  being  in  readinefs,  the  Mi- 
nifters  of  the  Porte,  always  anxious  to  be 
my  judges,  fixed  on  the  next  day  s  but  the 
Grand  Signior  fent  them  orders  to  attend 
to  their  affairs,  telling  them,  he  fhould 
himfelf  be  prefent  at  Ocmeidon.  This 
intelligence,  which  did  not  reach  me  till 
very  late,  obliged  me  to  fet  out  at  day- 
break to  arrive  before  the  retinue  which 
precedes  the  Grand  Signior,  I  had 
taken  care  to   prepare  in   the  evening, 

every 

§  Ocmeidon,  or  the  Plain  of  Arrows,  a  part  of 
which  is  ftrewed  with  fmall  columns,  covered  with 
infcriptions.  Their  diflances  point  out  the  flight  of 
the  arrows,  and  the  names  of  thofe  who  (hot  them. 
Almoft  all  the  Turkifh  Emperors  have  had  the  va- 
nity to  pretend  to  this  celebrity,  Ocmeidon  is  alfo 
the  place  where  the  entertainments  are  ufually  given 
on  occafion  of  the  circumcifion  of  the  Ottoman 
Princes.  The  Grand  Signior  has  a  very  handfome  kioik 
there,  and  all  the  buildings  neceiTary  for  the  court. 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  123 

everything  neceflary  for  the  experimentsj 
and  under  this  care  was  comprized  the 
referve  I  had  made  of  charging  the 
bombs  myfelf,  to  avoid  all  uneafinefs  on 
the  fcore  of  the  accidents  which  might 
refult  from  the  leaft  negligence  in  that 
refpe6l.  The  croud  of  people  which 
were  gathering,  and  increafing  every 
moment,  gave  me  reafon  to  applaud  my 
forcfight ;  but  the  imprudence  of  the  po- 
pulace ftill  made  me  afraid  of  the  dangers 
to  which  their  ignorance  was  the  more 
likely  to  cxpofe  them  -,  for  not  being  ac- 
cuftomed  to  fee  bombs  fired  in  the  air, 
the  Turks  could  not  be  perfuaded  that  1 
had  any  occafion  for  an  open  fpace  before 
the  mortars,  and  I  v/as  obliged  to  wait 
the  arrival  of  the  Grand  Signior  before  I 
could  arrange  the  pieces.  The  Cheir- 
Emini  §,  who  was  given  mc  for  a  colleague 
F  2  in 

§  Gheir-Emini,  Intendant  of  the  City,  and  more 
particularly  of  the  Seraglio.  He  infpeds  all  th3 
public  buildings,  and  thofe  of  the  Grand  Signior, 
He  has  alfo  the  privy  purfe,  and  executes,  by  com- 
miflion,  every  thing  refpedling  the  extraordinary 
cxpences ;  but  this  office,  as  well  as  all  the  offices 
under  the  Turkifh  government,  by  partaking  of  To 
monftrous  an  adminillration,  cannot  be  compared 
to  any  employments  in  the  European  governments 


1^4  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

in  this  experiment,  was  walking  far  and 
wide  with  his  white  (laff  in  his  hand  j-, 
when  an  officer  of  the  Seraglio,  riding 
full  fpeed,  ordered  him  to  place  himfelf 
with  me  at  the  foot  of  the  (lairs  where 
his  Highnefs  was  to  land,  adding,  that  I 
mull  carry  the  white  ftaff,  with  which  I 
was  inftantly  provided.  Sultan  Muflapha 
foon  appeared  :  he  faluted  me  gracioufly  j 
and  his  fon.  Sultan  Selim,  who  accom- 
panied him,  examined  me  from  head  to 
foot  with  the  mofb  minute  attention.  M. 
le  Comte  de  St.  Pried,  curious  to  fee 
this  exhibition,  had  arrived  on  horfeback 
fome  time  before  the  Grand  Signior,  and 
placed  himfelf  in  one  of  the  apartments 
adjoining  the  kiofk  where  his  Highnefs 
and  his  fon  were  feated,  Muflapha  was 
inflantly  informed  of  this  circumflance; 
and  I  have  fince  learnt,  that  it  v/as  the 
caufe  of  a  fort  of  circumfpedlion  which 
the  Grand  Signior  alTumed,  for  fear  of 
difpleafing  M.  de  St.  Priefl.  Thefe  lit- 
tle particulars  will  ceafe  to  appear  too  mi- 
nute, when  we  confiderthat  they  develop 
the  charader  of  the  nation  of  whom  they 

are  related. 

The 

t  This  Staff  is  the  mark  of  a  Commander* 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  !?.-; 

The  Cheir-Emini  and  I,  remained  ac 
the  nations  fcverally  afiigned  us,  and 
were  expelling  the  Grand  Signior's  or- 
ders, when  the  Seli6tar-Aga  came  from 
his  Highnefs  to  inform  me,  that  I  might 
begin  firing  the  bombs,  a  ricochet^  when 
I  thought  proper;  I  reprefented  to  him 
that  the  croud  which  furrounded  us,  ex- 
ceeding  twenty  thoufand  fouls  of  every 
age  and  fex,  ought  to  be  removed  from 
before  the  mortar,  fo  as  to  leave  it  en- 
tirely open.  Twenty  AlTequis,  J,  with 
uplifted  ftaves,,  immediately  drove  back 
the  populace ;  but  it  was  not  fo  eafy  fo 
to  arrange  them,  as  to  leave  a  free  open- 
ing for  the  bombs,  the  rebounds  of  which 
depend  only  on  a  greater  orlefs  horizon- 
tal diredlion.  He  made,  at  length,  a 
hollow  fpace,  about  twenty  toifes  large, 
F  3  but 

t  Aflequis — A  fort  of  chofen  Boflandgis,  a  de- 
tacbmcnt  of  which  always  accompanies  the  Grand 
Signior  :  they  are  armed  with  fabres,  and  carry  a 
white  ftaff,  which  indicates  the  command  of  the 
Grand  Signior,  which  they  are  to  execute.  The 
Aflequis,  alfo,  in  troops,  perform  the  duty  of  the 
Morechaa/Tee,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  Court. 
—-They,  as  well  as  theBoftandgis,  are  on  horfeback, 
except  when  the  Grand  Siguier  goei  out,  whea 
they  precede  !um  on  foot. 


126  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

but  fo  deep,  that  it  was  to  be  feared,  left 
the  firfl:  rebound  happening  in  its  extent, 
fome  Inequality  of  the  ground  might  fend 
the  fliell  amongft  the  fpeftators.  In  this 
cafe  the  people  would  indifputably  have 
thrown  the  blame  on  me,  which  would 
have  arifen  folely  from  fheir  ignorance  ; 
the  firft  fhell,  however,  touching  the 
ground  beyond  the  multitude,  fet  me 
more  at  eafe.  Six  bombs  had  been  al- 
ready fired  off,  there  now  remained  ortly 
the  feventh  and  laft,  which  I  had  charged, 
as  I  have  faid  before,  with  the  greateft 
care :  it  is  launched  ;  alights  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  hollow  fpace  -,  remains  there, 
and  the  match  continues  burning.  This 
critical  fufpence  lafled  twenty  tedious 
feconds,  during  which  time  my  anxiety 
faw  nothing  but  the  future  vidlims  of  an 
accident  as  fingular  as  it  was  unforefeen. 
Not  one  of  the  affiftants,  however,  ftirs. 
This  fhell  was  gazed  upon  with  as  much 
curiofity  as  the  preceding  ones:  luckily 
.  it  did  not  burft.  I  then  took  breath, 
and  the  examination  1  made  on  this  bomb, 
convinced  me  that  it  had  been  loaded 
agreeable  to  rule.  I  never  could  dif- 
cover  the  caufe  of  fo  fortunate  an  excep- 
tion. 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  127 

tion.      Nobody    had    time    to   perceive 
my  uneafinefs ;    and  this  event  was  ap- 
plauded as    a  little  trick    by    which  I 
thought  proper  to  determine  the  experi- 
ments.    Every  one  even  boafted  of  not 
having  been  afraid  ;  and  fome  fhells  fired 
from    an   eleven   inch    mortar,    pointed 
againft  a  tent  placed  at  the  diftance  of  fix- 
hundred   toifes,    by  knocking  down  the 
butt,  completed    the   fatisfadtion  of  the 
Grand   Signior,   and  fome  Beyeux  who 
had    got   together.     His    Highnefs  had 
brought   with    him   a  pelice  of  ermine, 
with   which   he   intended  to  cloath  me; 
but,   as  I  have  already   infinuated,    the 
prefence  of  M.  le  Comte  de  St.  Prieft, 
which  he   had  not  forefeen,   determined 
him  to  omit  that  diftindtion,  from  fear  ot 
difpleafing  the  King's  Ambaflador,    for 
whom  he   had   not  prepared  one.     The 
mod  conciliating  expedient   they  could 
hit  on,   was  to  fend   me  to  the  Porte  to 
receive    this    teftimonial    of  the    Grand 
Signior's  fatisfadion.     One  of  the  ofBcers 
of  his  fuite,  ran  to  carry  his  orders  there, 
and  the  Cheir-Emini  was  to  condudt  me. 
The  people,  however,  who  had  applaud- 
ed the  proofs,   and  who  were  in  expecta- 
tion 


128  MEMOIRS     OF    THE 

tron  alfo  of  feeing  me  rewarded,  adonifh- 
ed,  at  firfl,  to  fee  me  taken  to  the  Porte, 
foon  began  to  believe  that  it  was  to  punifli 
me,  and  concluded  by  thinking  it  very 
juft. 

The  Grand  Vifir,  apprized  of  my  arri- 
val, was  waiting  for  me  in  the  audience 
hall,  where  all  the  Minifters  were  aflem- 
bled.  I  there  received  their  congratula- 
tions on  th€  fatisfadion  of  the  Grand 
Signior,  *'  His  Highncfs,'*  fays  the 
Prime  Minifter  to  mt',  "  has  ordered 
me  to  give  you  fome  public  marks  of  it."' 
He  then  made  a  fign  to  the  Mafter  ofthe 
Ceremonies,  to  cloath  me  in  a  pelice  of 
ermine;  and  the  Hafnadar*,  arriving^ 
at  the  fame  time,  prefented  me  with  a 
purfe  of  200  fequins.  I  turned  round 
immediately  towards  the  perfons  who 
had  accompanied  mc,  and  fliowing  my 
pelice,  *'  1  receive  with  gratitude,"  faid 
I,  "  this  diftinguifiied  mark  of  the  Grand 
Signior's  favours  return  thanks  to  the 
Grand  Vifir  for  this  money  which  he  makes 
you  a  prefent  of."  This  expedient,  which 
I  preferred  to  a  difcufTion  of  our  refpec- 
tive  cuftoms,  was  a  fufficient  leflbn  for  the 

Grand 

*  Treafurcr. 


BARON    D£    TOTT.  129 

Grand  Vilir,  and  faved  me  from  offend- 
ing their  Oriental  politenefs  j*.  It  was 
at  the  clofe  of  day  when  I  quitted  the 
Porte,  and  I  did  not  arrive  in  the  fuburb 
of  Pera  until  night.  Two  officers,  one 
of  the  artillery,  and  the  other  of  the 
navy,  who  were  ordered  to  accompany 
and  guard  me,  were  going  before  me  on 
the  two  oppofite  foot-ways.  1  was  not 
more  than  thirty  paces  from  my  own 
houfe,  when  the  navy  officer  I  was  fol- 
lowing was  flopped  by  fome  perfons  in 
the  dark,  who,  coming  up  to  him  rough- 
ly, demand  what  corps  he  is,  and,  on  his 
anfwering,  fire  a  brace  of  piftols  at  him, 
who  returns  the  fire  :  the  officer  of  artil- 
F  5  lery 

t  This  Turki{h  cuflom  of  giving  money,  was 
what  gave  M.  de  Bonneval  the  greateft  mortinca- 
tion  fuch  a  man  as  he  was  could  poflibly  receive. 
The  Ambaflador- Extraordinary  of  the  Emperor, 
who,  in  the  Auftrian  array,  had  been  under  the 
orders  of  the  renegado,  accepted,  according  tocuf- 
torn,  a  dinner  from  the  Vifir.  The  Porte  had 
chofen  Kiathana  for  the  entertainment ;  M.  de  Bon- 
neval had  orders  to  be  there  with  the  corps  of  bom- 
bardiers, of  which  he  was  the  chief. — The  exer- 
cife  over,  the  Grand  Vifir  called  for  him,  and  made 
him  a  prefent  of  a  handful  of  fequins,  which  his 
fituation  obliged  him  fubmiiTively  to  accept. 


130  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

lery  fires  alfo,  crying  out  for  help.  Six 
JanifTaries  of  the  Palace  of  Germany,  the 
gate  of  which  wasoppofite  to  niine,  came 
out  immediately  with  their  carbines,  and 
without  any  other  knowledge  of  the  af- 
fair, than  the  liafli  of  the  fire  given  and 
received  by  my  guard,  make  a  general 
difcharge  at  us.  This  certainly  was  not 
the  kind  of  afliftance  we  wanted  j  it  was 
fufficient,  however,  to  put  our  enemies 
to  flight,  and  the  time  necefiTary  for  the 
auxiliaries  to  load  their  pieces,  fortu- 
nately gave  me  time  to  get  into  my  houfe, 
without  any  of  us  being  wounded. 

Although  I  fhould  not  have  made  any 
complaint  of  an  attack  which,  in  fa6l, 
was  not  perfonal  to  me»  the  officers  of 
the  police  of  Pera  fent  immediately  to  af- 
fure  me  of  their  vigilance  in  punifhing 
the  offenders,  if  I  would  point  them  out. 
The  Grand  Vifirfent  alfo  the  next  morn- 
ing to  inquire  after  me,  and  to  get  the 
particulars  of  the  attack;  and  the  Grand 
Signior  was  fo  good  as  to  interelt  himfelf 
for  me.  But  the  government  was  foon 
obliged  to  occupy  itfelf  with  more  im- 
portant cares,  the  obje6t  of  which,  will 
explain  the  danger  I   had  been  expofed 

tO;, 


BARON    DE    TOTT,  131 

to,  and  its  confequences  will  develope 
the  manners  of  the  Turks,  their  efp7'it  de 
corpSy  and  the  feeblenefs  of  their  govern- 
ment. 

A  violent  animofity  had  fubfifted  for 
fome  tinne  between  the  Janiflfaries  of  the 
company  of  the  LafTes,  and  the  marine 
corps,  which  had  taken  rife  in  one  of 
the  taverns  of  Galata,  where  a  child  of 
thirteen  or  fourteen  years  old,  u fed  to 
dance,  to  bring  cuftomers  to  the  houfe. 

After  having  alternately  given  plea- 
fure  to  both  parties,  this  child  became 
the  objc(5t  of  their  diifentions ;  fuccef- 
fively  carried  off  by  one  or  other,  the 
two  corps  at  length  went  formsilly  to 
war,  and  Galata  was  the  theatre.  Their 
inveteracy  was  carried  to  fuch  length,  that 
one  of  the  parties  retiring  into  the  prin- 
cipal Mofque,  the  other  carried  off  fome 
cannon  from  fome  merchant  lliips,  which 
they  fixed  at  the  gate  of  the  temple.  The 
corner  of  every  ftreet  became  an  ambuf- 
cadci  even  the  night  did  not  interrupt 
the  fcattering  fire,  every  dilcharge  of 
which  reached  the  Grand  Signior's  ear. 
All  trade  and  communication  were  inter- 
rupted. The  government,  however,  which 

had 


132  MEMOIR  S    OF    THE 

had  never  dreamt  of  nipping  the  evil  in 
the  bud,  which  might  even  have  perceived 
the  fermentation  in  the   attack   on  my 
condudlors,  but  which  uniformly  believes 
that  the  beft  method  of  preferving  order, 
is  by  the  deftru6lion  of  the  human  fpecies, 
at  firfl:  adopted  the  meafure  of  letting  the 
combatants  maffacre  each  other,  making 
a  few  ineflfedlual  attempts  to  conciliation. 
This  Icandalous  tumult  lafted  three  days, 
and  upwards  of  fifty  perfons  fell  vidims 
to   fuch    unpardonable    negligence.      I 
happened  to  be  at  the  Grand  Vifir's  when 
an  account  arrived  of  the  increafed  acri- 
mony of  the  contending  parties.     ''  So 
much  bravery  at  Galai^y  and  fuch  cow- 
ardice on  the  Danube^'*    fays   the  Vifir, 
*'  proves  that  the  Turks   are  afraid   of 
nothing  but  the  hats.     We  fliall  never  put 
an  end  to  this  affair,"  added  he,   laugh- 
ing,   "  unlefs  Tott,  with  a  few  French- 
men,  goes  and  brings  them   to  reafon.'' 
It  was  high  time,   however,  ferioufly  to 
think  of  it  3   for  it  was  to  be  feared,   that 
other  companies  of  JanilTarits,  by  taking 
the  part  of  their  comrades,  might  extend 
the  tumult  even  within  the  walls  of  Con- 
flantinople.     But  this  very  circumftance 

rendered 


BARONT    DE    TOTT,  I3J 

rendered  vigorous  meafures  difficult  of 
execution.  A  meafure  of  policy  there- 
fore was  adopted,  which  was  to  get  hold 
of  the  object  of  their  quarrel  j  but  the 
party  in  pofTefTion  would  not  confent  to 
give  up  the  child,  without  a  pofitive  af- 
furance  that  itfliould  not  be  delivered  to 
the  oppofite  party.  And  the  child,  given 
up  on  that  condition,  was  hanged,  to  the 
great  fatisfadion  of  thofe  very  perfons 
who  were  fighting  about  it  only  an  in- 
ftant  before. 

Durinf?  this  fedition,  I  was  treating? 
with  the  Minifters  of  the  Porte  for  the 
formation  of  a  new  corps  of  artillery. — 
Not  that  the  Turks  were  in  want  of 
troops  dedined  for  that  fervice,  for  up- 
wards of  forty  thoufand  men^  inlifted 
and  the  name  of  Topchi"^^  formed  a  corps 
already  too  numerous,  but  which  was,  in 
fad:,  only  a  gnawing  worm,  whofe  fup- 
port  was  no  lefs  burthenfome  than  ufe- 
lefs.  Without  any  point  of  union,  and 
devoid  of  difcipiine,  thefe  m.en,  as  well 
as  the  JanifTaries,  are  difperfed  through- 
out the  capital,  and  the  empire.  A  ticket 
called  effarneXy   with  which  every  foldier 

is 

*  Gunners, 
t  Pay. 


134  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

is  provided,  infures  to  him  his  pay,  whe- 
ther heprefcnts  it  in  perfon,  or  fends  it  by 
his  agent.  Very  frequently,  too,  he  fells 
this  ticket  J  and,  at  all  events,  never 
thinks  of  joining  his  colours,  but  when 
he  can  do  no  better,  and  then  only  to 
partake  of  the  dinner  provided  for  fuch 
as  choofe  to  refide  at  the  barracks.  This 
abufe  is  very  (Iriking  at  the  firfl:  fight  of 
the  barracks  of  the  Janiflaries : — They 
occupy  the  bed  chofen  fituations  in  Con- 
ftantinople.  Sultan  Soliman,  who  built 
them,  bellowed  a  profufion  of  gilding 
on  the  roofs  of  the  porticos,  which  has 
always  been  fupported  by  his  fucceffbrs. 
But  the  difcipline  he  ellablilhed,  has  not 
been  fo  well  maintained: — by  abandon- 
ing the  regulations,  the  fpirit  of  the  corps 
is  annihilated,  and  the  number  in  adual 
pay,  (for  the  inrolled  are  innumerable) 
amounts  to  four  hundred  thoufand  j  of 
whom  fcarcely  twenty  thoufand  are  col- 
leded  together.  It  mufl:  further  be  ob- 
ferved,  that  this  fmail  number  is,  in  ge- 
neral compofed  of  thofe  who  have  low 
pay,  and  of  thofe,  who  having  none, 
ferve  in  hopes  of  obtaining  it.  This  pay, 
which   is  only   diftributed   every   three 

months, 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  135 

months,   is  carried  from  three  afpres,  up 
to  ninety-nine*. — This  arbitrary  method 
of  rewarding  military   fervices,    thrown 
entirely  into  the  hands  of  their  leaders, 
mufl  neceflarily  operate  to  the  dellrudion 
of  this    militia.      Favour,    too,    which 
abufes  every  thing,  has  afTumed  to  itfelf 
a  great  number  of  fituations  with   the 
highefl:  pay,    as  well  as  the  greateft  part 
of  the  alienated  domains  appropriated  to 
military  fervice. — Thefe  different  objeds, 
are  in  Turkey  become  the   recompence 
beflowed   by   the  man  in  favour  on  his 
domeftics,  and  the  empire,   whofe  wants 
were    provided    for   by    the  legiflature, 
dripped  at  this  day  of  a   principal  part 
of  its  revenues,  fcarcely  finds  in  the  re- 
maining  fragments,    a   fufficient   fupply 

for  its  mod  urgent  exigencies. And, 

in 

♦  The  afpres,  which  might  be  eflimated  at  fi^c 
deniers,  would  give  for  99  afpres,  49  fols  and  a 
half;  (upwards  of  2s.)  but  which,  by  the  value  of 
the  coin,  muft  be  reduced  wo  39  fols,  6  deniers ; 
(about  I9d.  halfpenny)  always  obferving,  that  this 
calculation,  which  is  nearly  the  exchange  e/tablifti- 
cd  by  commerce,  is  ftill  far  above  what  would  be 
produced  from  examining  the  intrinfic  value.  The 
Grand  Signior's  filver  money  has  fcarcely  fix  de- 
niers pure. 


1^6  MEMOIRS     OF    THE 

in  fafl,  if  one  except  the  produce  of  per- 
fecutions,  which  the  Grand  Signior  hides 
in  his  private  treafury,  under  the  vague, 
but  not  lefs  tyrannical,  title  of  confifca- 
tion,  the  revenues  of  the  ennpire  efti- 
mated  on  the  records  at  more  than  500 
millions  of  livres,  about  25,400,000!. 
produces  effectively  only  74  millions,  or 
3,2co,ocol.  to  the  public  treafury.  This 
fum,  however,  mufl  pay  the  troopS;, 
fupport  the  navy,  and  fupply  the  other 
current  expences,  and  fervices  unpro- 
vided for;  whilft  the  400  millions  arifing 
from  the  royal  domains,  appropriated  by 
Sultan  Soliman  to  the  fupport  of  a  nume- 
rous cavalry,  of  4000  draught  horfes  for 
the  artillery,  the  reparation  ofthefort- 
refles,  the  repair  of  the  highways,  &c. 
only  ferve  to  make  the  private  fortunes 
of  thofe  who  are  in  pofTcflion  of  them, 
and  the  Grand  Signior,  in  confequence, 
is  obliged  to  employ  the  treafure  he  may 
have  kept  in  referve,  to  provide  for  the 
immediate  calls  and  deficiencies. 

Sultan  Muftapha  began  to  exhauft  his 
wealth,  and  had  very  poor  confolation 
for  the  600  millions  he  had  already  ex- 
pended.    He  felt  the  neceffity  of  putting 

his 


BARON     D£    TOTT.  1 57 

his  troops  on  a  different  footing,  and 
wasdefirous  that  1  fhould  make  a  code 
of  regulations  for  the  new  corps  of  artil- 
lery ;  but  the  firfl  ftep  necefifary  was  to 
provide  from  the  public  treaiure,  for  the 
annual  expence  it  would  occafion.  The 
Grand  Treafurer  could  only  make  out  a 
revenue  of  300,000  livres,  about  1 2,oooL 
Herling,  by  feizing  a  fmall  duty  which 
had  been  enjoyed  by  the  clerks  of  his  of- 
fices. The  Porte  next  employed  itfclf 
about  the  ni'Tie  which  (hould  be  given  to 
the  new  corps;  the  learned  were  con - 
fulted  on  the  fubjedl,  and  the  name  of 
Suratchis  (diligent)  was  unanimoufly 
adopted.  The  Grand  Signior  approved 
of  the  ordinance  I  had  drawn  up,  and 
confecrated  it  in  the  Ilattu  Humayonn  *, 
which  was  ifTued  from  the  throne  for  the 
creation  of  the  new  corps*  The  uniform 
was  alfo  agreed  on  -,  and  as  it  was  necef- 
fary  to  render  it  as  light  as  the  nature  of 
the  fervice  required,  without  attempting 
a  new  ftyle  of  drefs,  which  ignorance 
would  have  turned  into  ridicule,  and 
againfl:  which  fanaticifm  would  have  lift- 
ed u  p  her  voice,  I  conciliated  thefe  dif- 
ficulties 

•  A  fovereign  Edid,  which  has  the  force  of  law  ; 
the  efFed  of  which  is  for  ever  binding, 


I^S  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

ficulties  by  adopting  the  form  of  the  AI- 
banefe  drefs  ;  and  the  corps  of  Suratchis, 
completed  to  fix  hundred  foldiers,  was 
lodged  in  barracks  with  the  officers  at 
Kiathana,  where  the  fchool  was  alre-^ady 
eftablifhed,  the  exercifc  of  which,  al- 
though it  ought  to  be  confined  to  can- 
non, was  extended  to  the  ufe  of  the  bay- 
onet, becaufe  fo  indifpenfibly  neceflfary, 
and  which  I  was  defirous  of  accuftoming 
the  Turks  to  carry.  One  would  ima- 
gine, too,  that  the  Turks  would  at  lead 
have  fpared  their  cenfures  of  this  weapon 
by  which  they  had  been  fo  completely 
beaten  by  the  Ruffians  j  but  it  wasnecef- 
fary,  even  on  this  head,  to  impofe  filencc 
on  their  critics,  and  work  upon  their 
prejudices,  by  the  interpofition  of  the 
Mufti.  That  chief  of  the  law,  accompa- 
nied by  the  Vifir,  and  all  the  Miniflers, 
came  to  thefchoo! ;  and  apprized  of  this 
extraordinary  vifir,  I  went  to  receive 
them,  and  the  exercife  being  over,  the 
chief  of  the  law  defired  me  to  range  the 
corps  in  line  of  battle  before  the  kiofk 
where  he  was  placed.  He  then  afked 
me  for  one  of  the  new  mufquets,  which 
I  prefented  him  -,  and  after  entering  with 

me 


BARON    DE    TOTT.  I39 

me  into  all  the  particulars  of  the  ufe  of 
the  bayonet,  he  pronounced,  with  a  loud 
voice,  a  prayer  of  benedidion  on  that 
weapon,  and  that  it  nnight  be  applied  to 
the  defence  of  the  true  faith.  The  ex- 
clamation of  Prai/ed  be  Gody  then  utter- 
ed by  the  whole  corps,  was  repeated  by 
the  croud  of  people,  attra(n:ed  by  curio- 
fity  j  and  the  fanatics,  always  ready  in 
the  applause,  whether  of  a  benediction  or 
a  curfe,  very  foon  talked  of  nothing  but 
the  wonderful  advantages  the  empire 
would  derive  from  the  bayonet. 

The  corps  of  JanifTaries  were  more  in- 
terefted  in  obferving  the  exa£lnefs  with 
which  the  money  was  diftributed  every 
week  to  tiie  Suratchis,  and  the  uniform 
they  wore  i  and  they  loudly  declared 
that  they  would  receive,  with  pleafure, 
the  difcipline,  at  the  fame  price.  This 
corps,  in  fa(5t,  formerly  confined  to  the 
tributary  children,  and  fo  formidable  to 
its  mafters,  long  fince  degraded  by  de- 
parting from  its  regulations,  was  atlength 
fo  fallen  into  neglect,  that  at  the  time  of 
forming  the  Suratchis,  the  Grand  Sig- 
nior  owed  the  JanifTaries  nine  quarters 
pay,  making  an   arrear  of  twenty  feven 

months. 


140  MEM^OIRS    OF    THE 

months.  Yet  never  did  that  corps  give 
Icfs  uneafinefs  to  the  Sovereign ;  but 
this  tranquillity,  far  from  affording  a 
proof,  of  its  fubmifTion,  was  only  a  cer- 
tain prefage  of  the  fuccefs  of  the  enemy. 
Difburbances  in  a  defpotic  government, 
proclaim  only  the  energy  of  the  nation  : 
When  it  is  no  longer  able  to  make  a 
ilruggle  againil  internal  oppreflion, 
what  exertions  can  it  oppofe  to  foreign 
forces  ? 

The  feverity  of  their  eftabliflied  mili- 
tary puniHiments,  furnifhed  me  with  an 
opportunity  of  acquiring  the  love  of  the 
foldiers,  without  facrificing  difcipline  5 
and  I  loft  no  time  in  fubftituting,  to 
chains  and  the  baftinado,  other  methods 
which,  apparently  lefs  violent,  would 
equally  fecure  good  order  and  fubmifli- 
on,  whilit  it  ellablifhed  the  fentiment  of 
honour  fo  infeparable  from  military  ideas, 
but  which  has  no  term  to  exprefs  it  in 
theTurkiih  lan2:uao;e.  Double  turns  of 
duty  were  the  punifhment  of  (light  faults ; 
the  collar  turned,  and  the  facings  flapped, 
without  interrupting  their  fervice,  were 
punifhments  referved  for  more  weighty 
offences :  defertion,  which  had  never  hi- 
therto 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  I4I 

therto  been  overlooked,  was  punifhed 
by  the  gallies  ;  and,  what  was  unheard 
of,  in  (hort,  amongft  the  Turks,  fentinels 
were  placed,  and  fome  Tartars,  fornner- 
ly  in  the  Ruflian  fervice,  inlifted  into 
this  new  corps,  fet  the  example  of  re- 
gularity in  the  fervice.  This  troop, 
particularly  trained  in  the  management 
of  light  artillery,  was  daily  exercifed, 
and  wasfoon  able  to  fire  fifteen  times  in 
a  minute  *  ;  but  I  invariably  refufed 
their  requeft  to  learn  the  ufe  of  fmall 
arms,  becaufe  this  corps  was  too  weak  to 
reftrain  the  ralleries  of  other  corps  ;  and 
I  muft  obferve,  that  M.  deBonneval  on- 
ly failed  in  his  projedl  of  forming  one 
in  Turkey,  in  the  European   manner  J, 

from 

*  A  flower  fire,  and  more  attention  in  taking  aim, 

would,    no  doubt,  have  been  preferable  ;   but   the 

Turks  hitherto  were  afraid  only  of  the  naife,  which 

they  were   defirous  of  making; — ajufter  cllimate 

*was  beyond  their  knowledge. 

I  The  Turks  afliured  me,  that  M.  de  Bonneval, 
who  had  colleded  a  Scutary,  a  corps  of  Albanefe, 
after  teaching  them  to  face  to  the  right  and  left  for 
fome  time,  could  never  obtain  from  them  the  pro- 
mife  of  returning  the  next  year  for  the  fam«  obje£l ; 
and  that   a  Dervifie  feeing  them   wheeling  round, 

turned 


14^  MEMOI  RS    OF    THE 

from  his  ignorance  of  the  chara£ler  of 
the  nation  he  had  adopted,  which  led 
him  to  begin  where  he  fhould  have  fini(h- 
ed :  befides  that,  the  manual  exercife, 
properly  fpeaking,  was  not  an  objefl  of 
utility  to  the  new  troop,  which,  to  do  its 
duty,  ought  always  to  begin  by  piling  up 
their  arms. 

Sultan  Muftapha  came  frequently  to 
thefe  exercifes  J  was  fond  of  feeing  the 
quick  fire,  and  always  made  a  prefent 
to  the  gunners;  but  he  never  thought 
proper  to  give  any  orders  but  through 
me,  and  I  availed  myfelf  of  thefe  oppor- 
tunities to  excite  the  activity  of  his  Mi- 
nifters,  by  ftimulating  his.  The  Vifir's 
zeal,  which  fhould  have  contented  itfelf, 
with  favouring  my  labours  as  much  as 
poffible,  induced  him  to  come  and  in- 
fped  them.  He  arrives,  in  one  of  his 
excurfions  at  Kiathana,  without   appriz- 

ing 

turned  to  fome  Janiflarles  who  had  got  together 
from  curiofity,  and  faid  to  them,  **  They  are  pre- 
paring to  treat  you  in  the  fame  way  as  Peter  the 
Great  did  for  the  Strelitzes."  But  it  was  not  fo 
much  the  murmur  excited  by  this  expreiTion,  which 
made  this  phantom  of  difcipline  vanifh,  as  the  in- 
terefl  of  thofe  who  were  to  be  difciplined,  and  whom 
it  was  firfl  neceffary  to  pay. 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  I43 

kigmeofit,  and  demands  a  repetition 
of  the  exercife  they  went  through  every 
morning.  "  We  cannot,  without  order," 
fays  the  commanding  officer. — **  Are  not 
mine  fufficient  ?"  replied  the  Vifir.— - 
"  We  ihall  refpedl  them,  no  doubt," 
fays  the  officer,  "  in  every  thing  which 
does  not  concern  our  difciplincj  but  on 
that  head  we  know  no  other  fuperior  than 
our  Adgibektache  *."  The  Vifir,  fmil- 
ing  at  this  anfwer,  put  up  with  it  j  and  it 
was  from  himfeif  I  had  the  ftory. 

It  was  fome  time  fince  the  Grand  Sig- 
nior  had  confulted  me  on  the  fteps  to  be 
taken  to  put  the  channel   of  the  Black 

Sea 

*  Adgibektache,  a  Santon  Dervife,  venerated  by 
the  Turks,  and  looked  upon  as  the  founder  of  the 
Janiffaries,  although  he  be,  in  fa£l,  only  their  Le- 
giflature.  He  lived  under  the  reign  of  Araorath 
the  Firft,  and  when  that  Prince,  by  the  advice  of 
his  Vifirs,  formed  from  the  portion  of  flaves  which 
fell  to  his  fhare,  a  new  body  of  foldiers  (YeiTi  Tche- 
Y-yJ  he  addreiTed  himfeif  to  Adgibektache,  to  give 
him  a  code  of  regulations,  and  his  benedidion.  It 
is  told,  that  to  fanftify  his  new  corps,  he  addrefled 
his  prayers  to  God,  after  placing  the  fleeve  of  his 
white  robe  on  the  head  of  the  Commander  of  the 
troops,  and  that  the  white  felt  ftill  hanging  to  the 
cap  of  the  Janiffaries,  is  preferved  only  in  comme- 
moration of  the  white  fleeve  of  Adgibektache. 


144  MEMOIRS    OF   THE 

Sea  out  of  danger  of  an  infult.     I  had 
propofed  to  build  two  caflles  towards  its 
mouth,  but  I  thought  this    projed   was 
abandoned,  when  I  received  intelligence 
of  the  works  which  the  Porte  was  carry- 
ing on  at  the  two  light  houfes  of  Europe 
and  of  Afia. — They  were    intruded  to 
the  care  of  two  architedbs   as  little  ac- 
quainted with  lines  of  defence,    as  they 
were  of  the  rules  of  Vitruvius ;    and   ac- 
cordingly at    the   mouth  of  the  channel, 
and    without   the    range    of    thirty-fix 
pound  fhot,  they  prefently  run   up  fome 
ill  built  towers,  and  a  few  dry  walls,    to 
contain  the  artillery,  which  after  a  white- 
waihing,  enabled   the   Minifters  to  an- 
nounce them  to  the  Grand  Signior  as   a 
work  of  perfe6lion.     But  Sultan  Mufta- 
pha,   who  had,  doubtlefs,   intended  that 
I  fhould  overlook    the   execution,   afto- 
nifhed  to  find  in  the  account  laid  before 
him,  that  I  had   nothing  to  do  with  it, 
inquired  the  reafon  of  it.     His  Minifters, 
who  were    inceflantly   endeavouring  to 
keep  mc  out  of  the  way,  excufed   them- 
felves,   by  faying  that  the  order  did  not 
exprefsly  enjoin  them  to  confult  me.    But 
his  Highnefs  not  choofing  to  truft  to  them, 

gave 


BARON     DETOTT.  14^ 

gave  them  the  mortification   of  fubmit- 
ting  their  work  to   my  infpedlion*     The 
Reis  EfFendi*,    and  the  Grand  Treafu- 
rer,  were   employed  to  condu6l  me  to 
the  new  built  caftles,   to  determine  whe- 
ther it  would  be  better   to   preferve,  or 
to  deftroy  them.    The  complaifance  with 
which  the  Grand  Vifir  gave  me  this  invi- 
tation, proved   to   me  that   the  Grand 
Signior  had  not  been  quite  To  gentle  in 
the  orders  he  had  given  his  Minifters.-— 
But  this  circumftance,  truly  alarming  for 
them,  was  not  lefs  embarrafllng  to  me  ; 
for  1  mud  either  betray  the  interefts  with 
which  I  was  intruded,  or  facrifice  the  in- 
nocent.     In  fad,  I  could  not  but  forefee, 
that  by  improving  the  works  they  had  juft 
conftrudled,  they  who  had  given  orders 
for  them,  would  throw  the  blame  on  the 
two  architeds ;  and  that  the  latter,  unable 
either  to  do  better,  or  to  decline  the  un- 
dertaking, could  not,    without  extreme 
cruelty,  be  involved  in  the  confequences 
of  this  inquiry.     We  took  thefe  poor  fel- 
lows with  us,  and  their  firft  care  after  our 
arrival,  was  to  reprefent  to  me  the  rifque 
they  run  if  I  difapproved  of  their  work. 
But   they   were  by  no  means  contented 
Vol.  III.  G  with 

*  Reis  Effendi-  Miniller  for  foreign  affairs. 


1^6  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

with  my  bare  aflurances  tliat  their  igno- 
rance would  fave  them.  The  two  Mi- 
nifters  urged  me  to  give  my  opinion,  and 
were  already  finding  fault  with  the  ma- 
fonry,  and  condemning  the  bad  ftate  of 
the  barracks  in  the  midfl  of  the  inclo- 
fure.  "  That  is  of  the  leaft  confequence," 
anfwered  Ij  '*  the  moft  material  affair  is, 
that  the  fhot  fhould  crofs  one  another, 
the  reft  is  eafily  remedied."  One  of  the 
architeds  immediately  aflured  us  that  tlie 
balls  would  crofs. — *'  That  is  what  you 
have  nothing  to  do  with,"  replied  I : 
"  You  have  built  on  the  fituations  point- 
ed out  to  you  j  if  the  diftances  are  too 
great  for  the  effedual  range  of  fhot,  it 
will  be  unnecefTary  to  examine  your  prin- 
ciples of  building.  In  that  cafe,  every 
thing  muft  be  deftroyed,  and  the  forts 
re-built  on  a  better  fituation."  The 
Greek  began  to  perceive  his  folly  in 
talking  about  artillery,  and  the  gunners 
received  orders  to  prepare  the  cannon. 
The  Grand  Treafurer,  who  of  all  the 
Minifters  had  more  immicdiately  taken 
part  in  this  work,  propofed  to  me  to  go 
to  the  fhore,  to  judge  of  the  efFedls  of  the 
fhot ;  adding  that  the  mafter-gunner  af- 

fured 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  I47 

Aired  him  he  had  already  feen  them 
crofs.  "  I  have  fo  much  reliance/*  faid 
I,  "on  his  obfervations,  that  I  will  take 
fpecial  care  not  to  repeat  them  from  the 
fame  place  j  it  is  from  the  tower  that  we 
will  go  and  make  ours ;  from  that  height 
we  fhall  be  better  able  to  judge  of  the 
matter.'*  We  mounted,  inconfequence, 
on  the  battlements  of  a  miferable  tower, 
wifely  defigned  to  ferve  as  a  powder  ma- 
gazine. A  flag  being  difplaycd,  by 
way  of  fignal,  the  experiment  took  place, 
and  we  faw  very  diftindlly,  that  the  fhot 
fired  from  the  two  caflles  of  Europe  and 
of  Afia,  fcarcely  reached  a  third  of  the 
difbance  that  feparates  them  ;  and  this  ex- 
periment, repeated  feveral  times,  proved 
invariably  the  fame  thing.  It  was  no 
longer  neceflary  to  examine  the  conflruc- 
tion  of  the  caflles,  after  fo  clear  a  de- 
monftration  of  their  inutility.  The  mi* 
nutes  of  this  affair  were  drawn  up  in 
fuch  a  manner,  as  to  relieve  the  two  ar- 
chitects from  all  uneafinefs.  I  dined 
with  the  two  Minlfters,  after  which  we 
re-imbarked  on  our  return  to  Condanti- 
nople,  intending  to  examine,  on  our 
way,  the  molt  favourable  pofition  for  the 
two   forts   which  were  deemed  neceflary 


n 


148  MEMOIRS    OF    T«B 

for  the  defence  of  the  Bofphorus,  whick 
we  difcovered  very  foon  :  the  two  firfb 
promontories  we  faw,  placed  at  a  proper 
diftance,  and  fofituated  as  to  cover  the 
anchoring  ground,  which  is  before  them. 
Teemed  defigned  by  nature  for  the  pur- 
pofe.  This  produced,  of  courfe,  a  great 
deal  of  converfation.  The  Minifters 
were  to  give  an  account  of  their  commif- 
iion  ;  the  confequence  of  which  was, 
with  refpedl  to  me,  that  1  did  not  hear 
another  word  upon  the  fubjed  for  more 
than  fix  months. 

The  labours  q(  the  foundery,  and  the 
daily  inftruftion  of  the  new  regiment  of 
gunners,  afforded  me  employment  e- 
nough  to  divert  .me  from  every  other 
idea.— I  thought  no  more  about  the  for* 
tification  of  the  channel ;  and  imagined 
that  even  the  Grand  Signior  himfelf  had 
Jaid  it  afide,  when  two  meffages>  one 
from  the  Vifir,  and  the  other  from  the 
Reis  Effendi,  arriving  at  the  fame  mo- 
ment, to  urge  my  prefence  at  the  Porte, 
made  me  fufpedt  feme  orders  from  the 
interior  *,  which  would  admit  of  no  delay 

in 


This  word,  which  is  a  literal  tranflation  of  the 

Turkifh 


I 


BARON    DE    TOTT.  I49 

in  the  execution  ;    but  I   did  not  expe£l 
to  find  the  Minifters  in  fuch  an  agitation. 
They   were  aflembled    at     the    Vifir's  ~ 
houfe,   and  were  ftill   trembling  under 
the  refentment  of  their  mafter  j*.     Sul- 
tan Muflapha,  who  came   frequently  to 
confer  with  his  Minifters   at  the   Porte, 
and  make  them  give  an  account  of  their 
adminiftration,  had  appeared  there  that 
very     morning.      Well     informed,     no 
doubt,  that  the  building  of  the  projedl- 
ed  caftles  was  not  yet  begun,   he  called 
his  Minifters  together  in  hafte,  and  made 
them  tremble  at  his  outfet.     "  You  arc 
all  traitors!'* — faid  hej    "  you  have   al- 
ready fhaken   my  throne  ; — you  are  la- 
bouring to  overthrow  it !" — Anger  fladi- 
ed  from   his  eyes ; — his  Minifters  w^ere 
ftruck  dumb. — Ifmael  Bey  J  alone,  bol- 
der ftruck  than  the  reft,  from  being  more 
certain  of  his   mafter's  favour,    had  the 
courage  to  intreat  him  to  name  the  trai- 
G  3  tor.— 

Tarkifh  word,  is  appropriated  by  cuftorn  to  the 
palace  of  the  Grand  Signior,  and  feems,  in  fadt,  to 
correfpond  with  defpotifm  better  than  any  thing 
elfe. 

t  The  Rels  Effendi  himfelf  communicated  the 
particulars  of  this  fcene  to  me. 

X  The  name  of  the  Reis  EfFendi. 


130  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

tor.—"  Yourfelf,"  replied  the  Sultan, 
*'  where  are  the  caftles  which  Tott  fhould 
have  built  fix  months  ago  ?  He  fixed  on 
the  proper  fituations  ;  have  you  hitherto 
enabled  him  to  lay  the  firft  Hone  ?"  The 
Minifters  pleaded  in  their  juftification, 
that  they  had  not  received  any  orders  for 
it.  The  Emperor  infifled  that  he  had 
given  them  ;  but  he  could  only  be  calm- 
ed by  the  afTurance,  that  the  workmen 
Ihould  be  there  the  very  next  day.  We 
agreed  on  the  hour  ofmeeting,  there  to 
give  a  few  (Irokes  of  the  pick  axe^  a 
formality  wliich  the  Miniders  made  a 
point  of,  that  they  might  be  able  con- 
tientioufiy  to  inform  their  mafter  that 
the  work  was  begun.  There  was  ano- 
ther circumftance  more  neceffary  for  me, 
previous  to  the  undertaking,  and  I  em- 
ployed myfelf  in  drawing  plans  adapted 
to  the  refpeflive  fituations,  whilft  the 
Vifir  was  confuking  the  Aftrologers,  to 
iind  out  the  day  and  the  hour  the  mod 
aufpicious  for  laying  the  finl:  ilone. 
The  time  was  at  length  fixed,  and  I  was 
on  the  point  of  fetting  out  for  the  cere- 
mony *,  when  a   Turk,  followed  by  fe- 

veral 

♦  This  ridiculous  fcience  which  is  kept  in  pay  by 

fear^ 


BARON     DETOtT.  I5I 

veral  Tchoadars,  arrives  and  Is  announ- 
ced as  coming  from  the  Grand  Signior. 
The  confequential-  carriage  of  this  perlb- 
nage,  and  his  filent  gravity,  were  not 
calculated  to  fatisfy  one  very  foon  re- 
fpecling  the  obje6l  of  his  naiffion.  His 
flownefs  in  fwallowing  his  cup  of  cofFecj 
theeonflant  prelude  to  all  Turkifli  con- 
verfations,  flill  further  added  to  my  im- 
patience. At  length  he  draws  out  from 
his  bofom  a  fmall  bag  of  red  fattin, 
which  he  prefents  nrte  with,  on  the  part 
of  his  mafler,  complimenting  me  at  the 
fame  time  on  the  mark  of  diilindlion  ic 
contained,  and  the  prerogatives  attach- 
ed to  it.  In  the  mean  time,  I  open  the 
bag,  from  which  1  draw  out  a  parcel  of 
handkerchiefs  embroidered  with  gold, 
in  which  were  four  pieces  of  ebony, 
which  joined  to  one  another  by  filver 
hinges,  gave,  when  opened  out,  the 
flandard  of  the  Turkifli  P/V*,  ufed  in 
G  4  building, 

fear,  and  which  foretells  nothing  with  certainty 
but  the  ignorance  of  its  votaries,  is  held  in  fuch  re- 
verence at  Conllanrinople,  that  there  exilh  a  Mu- 
nedgim-Bachi,  Chief  of  the  Soothfayers. 

•  Pic  is  the  name  of  the  Turkiili  ell  ;  but  they 
are  of  feveral  forts..  Our  fliopkeeper's  ell  is  the 
Turkilh  Pic  and  three  quarters>  aa  made  ufe  of  in 


152  MEMOIRS     OF    THE 

building.  "  You  may  now,"  continued 
the  Turk,  ''  difpofc  of  all  the  Workmen 
in  Conftantinoplei  and  the  Grand  Sig- 
nior's  Pic,  which  is  intruded  to  you,  ex- 
tends your  authority  over  them,  even 
to  the  infli6lion  of  punifhments.  Such 
eminent  advantages  loft  much  of  their 
value  in  my  hands ;  but  I  could  not  a- 
void  teflifying  the  high  ellimation  in 
which  I  held  this  honour,  by  making  a 
prefent  to  the  bearer,  and  diftributing  a 
few  fequins  to  his  attendants.  Putting 
the  flandard  amongft  my  other  inftru- 
rnents,  I  fetout  for  the  ground  fixed  on 
for  the  new  caftles,  where  1  found  about 
forty  overfeers  of  workmen  already  af- 
fembled  ;  each  of  them  was  furnidied 
with  a  double  Pic,  This  badge  of  au- 
thority reminded  me  of  that  which  I 
bore.  I  determined  to  employ  the  time 
previous  to  the  aflrological  hour  of  the 
Minifters  in  verifying  the  meafures  of 
the  overfeers,  in  order  to  eftablifli  that 
uniformity  which    was  indifpenfibly  re- 

quifite 

ineafuring  cloth.  The  Indofc  is  another  fort  of 
Pic  to  meafure  other  fluffs,  and  the  mafon's  Pic, 
which  is  ]ong«r  than  the  others,  is  equal  to  two 
feet,  four  inches^   and  three  lines. 


BARON    DE    TOTT.  1^3 

qulfite  to  accuracy.  All  thefe  gentle- 
men got  very  familiarly  round  me,  and 
their  leader,  who  called  himfelf  an  ar- 
chitedb,  and  thought  he  was  one,  pre* 
fuming  already  on  my  tradlability  in  foU 
lowing  his  advice,  propofed  to  me  to 
verify  all  the  meafures  by  his  own.  "  I 
muft  firft  begin  with  yours,"  faid  I, 
taking  my  ftandard  out  of  the  crimfon 
bag.  At  the  fight  of  this,  the  whole 
body  of  thofe  fellows  darted  back  ten 
paces  from  me,  and  I  availed  myfelf  of 
thefirfl:  furprife  to  eftablifh  my  authori- 
ty, by  a  ftriking,  but  not  cruel  a6l  of  fe- 
verity,  ordering  all  the  meafures,  not 
conformable  to  my  ftandard,  to  be  bro- 
ken to  pieces  j — not  one  of  them,  not 
even  that  of  their  Chief  cfcaped  this  fen- 
tence.  I  ordered  new  ones  to  be  made 
on  the  fpot,  and  the  Miniflers  on  their 
arrival,  found  them  taken  up  with  this 
bufmefs.  They  repaired  immediately  to 
the  place  I  had  marked  out  for  laying 
the  firft  ftone,  which  was  prepared  as 
well  as  the  cement  and  the  workmen. 
The  Grand  Trcafurer  held  in  one  hand 
the  aftrological  decifion,  and  his  watch 
in  the  other.  He  obferved  the  minute 
G  5  with 


154  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

with  the  mod  fcrupulous  devotion,  and 
pronouncing  the  nanne  of  God  at  the  lad 
fecond,  he  gave  the  fignal  which  com- 
pleted this  ridiculous  ceremony. 

My  firft  labour  was  to  break  ground^ 
in  order  to  level  and  extradl  materials 
from  it  for  the  building  of  the  forts.  This 
could  only  be  done  by  means  of  gun- 
powder, from  the  quality  of  the  rock^ 
which  confifbed  of  a  bed  of  porphyry.  I 
colleded  together  and  put  into  huts  int 
the  vicinity  of  the  works,  about  fifteen 
hundred  Macedonians,  who  are  the  Au- 
vergnats*  of  Turkey* 

The  artillery  fchool,  the  foundery,  and 
the  new  forts,  obliged  me,  from  their 
diftance  from  each  other  to  travel  fix 
leagues  every  day.  The  Grand  Signior 
ordered  the  Boilandgy-Bachi  to  fupply 
me  with  the  boatmen  of  the  Seraglio^ 
who  were  to  have  extraordinary  pay  out 
of  the  public   treafury,  and  from  that 

moment 

*  Auvergnats : — The  inhabitants  of  Auvergner 
ffrmarkable  for  their  induflry^  frugality,  and  appli- 
cation to  the  menial  oiiicea  ;— -who  are  the  porters, 
tinkers,  chimney  fweepers  of  Paris: — the  Scotch 
and  IriOi,  in  Ihort,  of  London  5  and  who  make  e:5- 


BARON    DB,    TOTT,  155 

moment  my   boat  was  placed  in  the  ar- 
fenal,  by  the  Grand  Signior*s  felucca. 

The  firfl  labours  at  the  new  founder/ 
were  diretled  to  the  conil:ru(n;ion  of  a 
tram,  of  field  artillery,  of  which  the: 
Turks  v/ere  totally  deftitute,  and  which 
were  to  be  ferved  by  the  new  corps. 
The  Grand  Vifir,  in  all  his  letters  from 
the  army,  was  conftancly  demanding 
them  ;  and  the  Grand  Signior  ordered 
me  immediately  to  prepare  fifty  four- 
pounders,  with  their  carriages,  to  be  ac- 
companied by  three  hundred  Suratchis- 
difciplined  at  the  fchool.  The  cart- 
wright  work,  further  increafed  my  la- 
bour, and  the  works  at  the  caflles  were 
puihed  forward  in  the  greateft  a6livity, 
to  fatisfy  the  impatience  of  the  Grand 
Signior,  to  fee  the  lower  batteries  com- 
pleated,  and  lined  with  artillery.  The 
levelling  of  the  rock  furniflied  us  witli 
flones,  but  the  mafles  of  porphyry  they 
contained,  refilled  the  bed  fharpened  in- 
ftruments,  and  rendered  them  very  dif- 
ficult to  cut.  The  indefatigable  exer- 
tions of  the  Macedonians,  however,  fur- 
mounted  every  difficulty. 

Not. 


156  MEMOIR  S    OF    THE 

Notwithftanding  the  difpatch  required 
by  the  Grand  Signior,  I  eftablifhed  a  day 
of  reft  for  the  workmen,  and  permitted 
them  to  go  every  Sunday  to  divert  them- 
felves  at  the  neighbouring  village.  Thofe 
-who  worked  at  the  Caftle  of  Europe, 
had  the  fame  licence  to  amufe  thcmfelves 
at  Fanaraki  *.  Two  and  twenty  Mace- 
donians, each  with  his  gun  on  his  (houl- 
der,  had  got  there,  and  aflembled  in  a 
tavern,  were  finging  together  the  vi6lo- 
ries  of  Alexander.  In  the  interim,  a 
large  faic,  laden  with  flores  for  Varna, 
delayed  by  contrary  winds,  was  come 
to  anchor  under  fheher  of  a  rock,  in  fronc 
of  the  village.  Ninety  Turkifh  foldiers, 
who  were  oh  board  the  faic,  had  juft 
landed,  when  one  of  my  workmen  quit- 
ting his  companions,  to  take  the  air,  ap- 
proaches the  fhore,  where  he  finds  the 
Turks,  armed  from  head  to  foot.  One 
of  them,  infolent  from  the  number  of 
his  company,  comes  up  to  the  Macedo- 
nian, and  gives  him  a  violent  box  on  the 

ear. 

♦  A  village  fituated  in  Europe,  on  the  point  of 
the  cape  which  fcims  the  mouth  ot  the  channel^ 
and  which  takes  its  name  from  a  kntcir.n  that  is- 
placed  there. 


BARON    DE    TOTT.  I57 

ear.  Being  without  arms  fo avenge  the 
affront,  and  but  little  ac(]Uainted  with 
the  Turkifli  language,  he  makes  a  fign 
to  the  champion  to  (lay  till  he  returns^ 
He  quits  him  direiStly,  returns  to  the  ta- 
vern, faying  not  a  word  to  his  compa- 
nions, takes  his  mufquet,  without  their 
perceiving  it,  and  goes  back  to  the  fliore, 
where  he  flill  finds  the  Turks ;  he  fingles 
out  his  adverfary,  and  pointing  to  his 
cheek,  makes  a  fign  to  him  to  repeat  his 
blow.  The  Turk,  who  had  his  piftol  in 
his  hand,  fires  at  him,  clofe  to  his  breafl, 
and  miffes  the  Macedonian,  who  inftant- 
Jy  gives  him  wadding  and  all  in  his  belly, 
and  perilhcs  himfelf  by  the  difcharge  of 
more  than  eighty  mufquets,  fired  at  him 
by  the  other  Turks.  The  noife,  how- 
ever, excites  the  attention  of  the  remain- 
ing one  and  twenty  Macedonians  j  one 
of  their  companions  is  milling  i — they 
take  up  their  arms,  fiy  to  the  fhore,  fee 
their  comrade  ftretched  out  by  the  fide 
of  a  Turk,  and  without  further  queftions, 
attack  their  enemies,  lay  nine  dead  on 
the  fpot,  and  drive  the  reft  towards  the 
fea  with  fuch  precipitation,  that  partly 
by  fwimming,   and  partly  in  their  boats, 

thefe 


153  MEMOIRS    OF     THE 

ihefe  fellows  get  to  their  veflTel,  €ut  the 
cable,  and  cfcape  by  putting  to  fca. 
This  adventure  was  too  lerious  for  me, 
not  immediately  to  take  every  necefifary 
information.  Two  Macedonians,  deputed 
to  wait  on  me,  gave  me  an  account  of 
the  matter  ;  and  wifhing  to  anticipate 
that  which  the  Vifir  was  likely  to  receive, 
I  fet  out  immediately  to  the  Prime  Mi- 
nider's  houfe,  where  I  become  plaintiff 
for  the  infult  offered  to  the  workmen  ac 
the  cafbles, — The  Vifir,  after  liftening  ta 
me,  fays  coldly,  '^  Very  wellj — let  there 
be  no  more  fiid  about  it."  Not  know- 
ing that  he  was  already  acquainted  with 
what  had  happened,  1  thought  this  by  no 
means  a  fatisfa^lory  anfwer  to  my  com- 
plaint, and  I  infilled  on  redrefs.  The 
Minifter,  forced  at  length  to  explain 
himfelf,  fays  to  me,  fharply,  *'  Whac 
would  you  be  atj — Are  not  nine  Maho- 
metans laid  dead  on  the  fpot,  a  fufficienc 
number  of  victims  to  atone  for  the  death 
of  one  infidel  ?"  I  foftencd  my  tone  on 
this,  but  reprefented  to  him,  that  it  was 
abfolutely  necefiary,  by  the  mod  rigo- 
rous orders,  to  provide  for  the  tranquil- 
lity of  the  workmen. — *^  That  is  well 

enouuh," 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  1 59 

enough,"   added  he,  laughing  : — "  Why 
with  your  fifteen  hundred  Macedonians, 
you  would  make  a  conqueft  of  the  coun* 
try : — Your  own  means  of  fecurity   are 
better  than  any  J  could  furnifh  you  with." 
I  knew  this  as  well  as  the  Vifir;    and  as 
my  only  objecfl  was   to  obtain  impunity 
for  my  people,  I  withdrew,  fatisfied  with 
the  fuccefs  of  my  negociation,   and  per- 
fe6lly     tranquil    refpeding     the   confe- 
quences   of  the   affair,    notwithftanding 
the  threats  of  the  company  of  Las  Janif- 
faries,  which  none  of  them  had  the  cour- 
age to  put  in  execution. 

The  Grand  Signior  had  given  me  the 
Aife  of  a  country  houfe,   hired  at  his  ex- 
pence,  and  fituated  on  the  banks  of  the 
fea  in  the  village  of  Tarapia,    where  1 
refided  in  fummer;    and  which  was  very 
conveniently  fituated  between  Conftanti- 
nople    and   the  caftlcs,    for  the  different 
works  I  was  encrag;ed  in.     I  was  inform- 
ed,  one  day,  on  returning  from  the  foun« 
dery,    that   a  TurkiQi    vefTel    from  the 
Black  Sea^  meeting  with  contrary  winds, 
over  againft  Tarapia,    had  juft  overfet  ac 
the  entrance  of  the  harbour.     The  wea- 
iher  wds  To  fine,   and  the  breeze  fo  mo- 
derate, 


l6o  MEMOIRS     OFTHE 

derate,  that  I  could  not  polllbly  conceive 
how  this  accident  could  happen.  Curious 
to  know  the  caufe  of  it,  I  ftep  down  to 
the  Ihore,  and  the  firft  objed  that  ftrikes 
me,  is  the  keel  of  the  veiTei  above  water. 
The  captain,  and  five  or  fix  failors  who 
compofed  the  crew,  having  fwamtoland, 
were  fitting  on  the  beach,  viewing  this 
melancholy  fight.  They  told  me  that  a 
young  girl  and  her  mother,  paflengers 
on  board  the  veflel,  had  perifhed,  with- 
out their  being  able  to  afford  them  the 
lead  afliftance.  Butthefe  particulars  did 
not  explain  to  me  the  caufe  of  fo  extra* 
ordinary  an  event.  I  was  obliged  to  afk 
many  queftions,  before  I  could  get  from 
them,  that  the  vefifel,  laden  with  planks, 
half-maft  high,  had  failed  from  Syncope 
without  any  ballafl,  1  fhuddered  at  the 
danger  thefe  poor  people  had  run,  and 
which  was,  from  the  beginning,  unavoid- 
able, on  the  lead  fhift  of  wind  j  for  they 
mud  inevitably  have  overfet  at  fea,  had 
not  the  wind  been  right  abaft,  until  they 
they  gained  the  channel,  where  a  very 
light  foutherly  breeze,  by  obliging  them 
to  bear  away,  had  done  juftice  to  their 
ignorance.    Such  a  condudl  was  fufficient 

proof 


BARON    DE    TOTT.  l6l 

proof  that  this  was  the  firfl  time  the  cap- 
tain or  his  crew  had  been  to  fea.  I  took 
pity  on  thefe  unfortunate  people,  and  of- 
fered to  afTift  thenn  in  weighing  up  their 
veflel ;  but  nny  pity  was  increafed  on 
hearing  that  a  Turk,  who  pretended  to 
be  expert  in  naval  matters,  had  juft  got 
one  hundred  fequins  before  hand  from 
them,  for  that  operation.  I  was  led  to 
think  that  this  fum,  the  folc  remains  of 
their  fhipwreck,  would  eventually  turn 
out  a  more  real  lofs  to  them,  and  I  was 
not  deceived  in  my  opinion.  The  only 
aid  they  got  from  him,  in  fact,  was  by  a 
few  ropes  brought  in  a  boat  from  Con- 
(lantinople,  by  a  dozen  Levertis  *,  who 
only  hawled  the  vefTel  nearer  the  coaft, 
and  placed  it  amongft  rocks,  where  it 
would  be  daihed  to  pieces  by  the  leaft 
rifing  of  the  fea.  Thefe  officious  feamen, 
however,  demanding  more  money  to 
continue  their  work,  no  fooner  met 
with  a  refufal,  than  they  difappeared, 
and  the  fhip-wrecked  fufferers  were  in 
the  height  of  defpair.  1  fent  orders  im- 
mediately to  the  caftles  to  bring  me  cap- 

fterns 

*  Seamen  belonging   to  the  Admiralty  atiachgd 
to  the  fervice  of  the  fbips  of  war. 


l62  M  EMOIRS    OF    THE 

flerns  and  other  necelTary  apparatus,  by 
means  of  which,  in  one  afternoon's  work, 
I  put  the  veird  in  a  condition  to  purfue 
her  voyage  to  Conftantinople.  It  was  a 
truly  interefting  fccne  to  behold  the  joy 
of  thefe  poor  creatures,  and  their  earned- 
nefs  to  colled  the  prefent  they  intended 
making  me,  which  I  refufed,  exading  a 
prom ife  from  them,  however,  never  again 
to  go  to  fea  without  ballafl:.  *'  Misfor- 
tunes are  excellent  counfellors,'*  fays  the 
captain  to  me,  '^  and  I  will  certainly 
profit  by  the  advice  you  have  given  me> 
that  I  may  have  it  in  my  power  to  offer 
you  an  homage  of  my  gratitude,  more 
adequate  to  the  fervice  you  have  done 
me."  And  fome  months  after,  in  fadl,  I 
was  informed  that  the  fame  man,  and 
the  fame  crew,  carrying  fome  raifms,  but- 
ter, and  other  produdions  of  the  Black 
Sea,  had  likewife  feveral  fheep  with  him, 
which  they  were  bringing  to  me.  I  faw 
him  enter,  fully  determined  not  to  accept 
of  any  thing  from  him.—*'  See  here," 
fays  he,  on  perceiving  me,  *'  the  unfor- 
tunate man  you  faved  j — God  has  blelTed 
your  good  work : — we  have  made  a  for- 
tunate  voyage  J — it   is  to  you  we  owe 

every 


BARON    DE    TOTT.  1 63 

every  thing  we  have,  and  we  bring  you 
the  tribute  of  gratitude."—'^  I  am  very 
happy  again  to  fee  you/'  replied  I ;  "  but 
I  will  not  forfeit  the  merit  of  having 
ferved  you,  by  accepting  of  any  recom- 
pence.'* — "  You  ought  not  to  be  afraid 
of  that,**  faid"  he;  *'  we  have  impoftd 
the  annual  tribute  on  ourfeives,  that  God 
may  favour  our  commerce.*'  I  now  re- 
fufe,  more  ilrongly  than  ever,  to  accept 
of  any  thing;  but  the  Turk,  more  af- 
fcded  at  my  refufal,  than  I  could  have 
imagined,  fays  to  me,  turning  pale, 
".  It  is  certainly  in  your  power  to  refufe 
us  J  but  depend  upon  it,  that  if  you  per- 
fifl  in  it,  we  will  inftantly  place  our- 
feives, and  our  velTel,  in  the  fame  place, 
and  the  fame  fituation,  from  which  you 
extricated  us."  The  tone  of  voice  which 
accompanied  this  declaration,  madefuch 
an  imprefiion  on  me,  that,  not  daring  to 
run  the  rifque  of  driving  thefe  poor  crea- 
tures to  defpair,  I  accepted  their  pre- 
fent,  but  on  condition  that  it  fliould  be 
thelaftj. 

The 

t  This  anecdote,  which  ftrongly  paints  the  fen- 
timent  of  gratitude^   ought  no  more  to  ferve  «s  a 

cha- 


164.  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

The  Grand  Vifir  had  been  long  defi* 
rous  of  feeing  the  new  foundery,  where  I 
was   bufily  ennployed   in  preparing  the 
new  field  train,   which  was  inceffantly 
demanded  by  the  arniy,  when  the  Prime 
Minifter  was  announced.     The  adivity 
which  then  prevailed  in  the  feveral  work- 
fhops,  enabled  me  to  fhow  him  all   the 
details  of  the  fabrication  ;    and  when  we 
came  to  the  forges,  he  fat  down  upon  an 
anvil,     Whilft  we  were  in  a  very  intereft- 
ing  converfation  on  the  mod  important 
fubjedls,  one  of  the  Vifir's  Tchoadars  in- 
terrupted me  every  moment  to  a(k  mc 
for  a  prefent. 

Tired  at  length  of  his  importunity,  and 
ftill  more  fliocked  at  his  mafter's  fuffer- 
ing  it,  1  thought  to  check  him,  by  fharply 
defiring  him  to  have  patience,  at  lead  till 
our  converfation  was  finifhed.  *'  Ay," 
fays  he,  "  then  he  will  go  away,  and  I 
Ihall  not  have  time  to  flay  for  you."  This 

infolent 

charadleriftic  of  the  Turkifh  nation,  than  it  would 
be  juft,  from  a  fingle  trait,  to  charge  them  with 
the  charafter  of  ingratitude.  It  is  from  the  general 
tint  that  men  fhould  be  judged  :  that  is  only  to  be 
obtained  by  combining  the  various  colours  which 
compofe  it;  and  it  is  only  on  forming  the  mixture, 
that  we  are  able  to  dlftinguifh  the  true  Ihade. 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  l6^ 

infolent  anfwer,  appeared  fo  only  to  my- 
felf.     I  gave  him  two  fequins,  and  on  his 
telling  me,  there  were  a  great  many  of 
them,  I  gave  him  four ;    after  which  the 
Vifir  who  had  faid  nothing  in  the  interim, 
refumed  his  queftions.     He  returned  at 
length  to  his  boat,  after  making  his  trea- 
furer  diftribute  a  hundred  fequins  to  the 
workmen,   and  particularly  amongft  my 
fervants.     I  conduced  him  to  his  boat : 
when  he  was  feated,  and  his  rowers  had 
begun   to   put  off,   an  artillery  officer, 
who  accompanied  me  every  where,  lays 
hold  of  the  ftern  of  the  boat,  flops  it, 
and  demands  In  his  turn  his  prefent  which 
he  had  not  received.     A  marine  officer, 
of  my  guard,  lays  in  his  claim  alfo;  the 
Prime  Minifter  afks  his  treafurer,   why 
thofe  two  men  have  not  received  their 
fhare  of  the  money.     They  anfwer,  that 
they  were  going  on  before ;  my  officers 
infill,  however  5    and  the  Vifir,  a  glance 
from  whofe  eye  would  have  made  the 
mod  intrepid  tremble,  has  no  other  way 
of  freeing  himfelf  from  them,  than  by 
ordering  four  fequins  to  be  given  to  each 
of  thefe  importunate  fellows.  How  could 
1  complain  of  his  attendant,  when  my 
own   had    no    more  refped   for   him  ? 

This 


1 66  MEMOIRSOFTHE 

This  Prime  Minifter,  ofwhofe  charac- 
ter I  have  already  given  a  fketch,  only 
preferved  his  place  by  abandoning  the 
reins  of  empire  to  the  Reis  Eft'endi,  vvhofe 
fubtle  and  faturnine  fpirit  governed  the 
country  with  fuch  indifference,  that  chat- 
ting one  day,  and  the  converfation  turn- 
ing on  the  conqueft  of  Conftantinople  by 
the  Turks,  and  on  the  inftability  of  the 
the  moft  powerful  empires,  he  afked  me, 
where  I  thought  an  unfuccefsful  war  might 
carry  them  ? — ^^  To  the  other  fide,"  faid 
I.  He  looks  immediately  out  of  the 
window,  examines  the  coafts  of  Afia,  and 
turning  round  with  a  laughing  counte- 
nance,— ^'  My  friend,"  faid  he,  '^  there 
are  delicious  vallies  ;  we  will  build  beau- 
tiful kiofks  there."  It  is  eafy  to  con- 
clude from  this  anfwer,  that  Ifmacl  Bey, 
(lightly  afi^e6led  by  any  calamities  in 
which  he  did  not  participate,  contented 
himfclf  with  getting  rid  of  the  current 
affairs  of  the  moment,  carefully  took  the 
Grand  Signior's  orders  on  tvery  fubjedt 
where  there  was  any  danger,  and  adhered 
more  clofely  to  his  place  than  to  his 
duty.  To  his  conne6lions  with  IfedBey, 
he  owed   his  elevation,    and  he  was  ftill 

fup- 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  167 

fupported  by  thofe  connedlionsj  Ifed, 
fatisfied  with  the  favour  of  his  mailer, 
preferved  it  without  intrigues,  enjoyed  it 
without  ambition,  and  had  a  ftrong  pro- 
penfity  to  doing  good,  without  knowing 
how  to  efFe(5l  it. 

I  was  very  intimate  with  this  favourite, 
who  was  the  medium  between  his  mafter 
and  myfelf,  and  ufed  regularly  to  give 
him  an  account  of  our  converfationSj 
which  afforded  me  the  means  of  indirect- 
ly hinting  many  things,  an  opportunity 
1  frequently  made  ufe  of.  It  was  thro* 
Ifed  Bey  alfo,  that  the  Grand  Signior 
confulted  me  ;  and  this  Prince  who  was 
daily  acquiring  new  information,  and 
whofe  views  began  to  extend  beyond  the 
ufual  limits,  treated  with  a  great  deal  of 
attention  the  projeCl  for  a  jundlion  of  the 
the  two  feas  by  the  Ifthmus  of  Suez.  He 
was  even  defirous  of  aiding  what  I  alrea- 
dy knew  of  the  fubjed,  by  the  local 
knowledge  of  the  different  CommilTaries 
who  had  been  in  Egypt;  and  the  reader 
will  fee  in  the  fourth  part  of  thefe  Me- 
moirs, that  if  Muftapha  had  lived  long 
enough  to  have  undertaken  that  work, 
he  would  have  found  the  local  circum- 

flances 


l68  MEMOIRS    OF   THE 

ftances  fo  favourable  to  his  views,  as  to 
have  enabled  him  to  operate  the  greateft 
pofTible  revolution  in  the  general  fyflein 
of  politics.  He  was  undoubtedly  very 
far  from  this  degree  of  information, 
when  giving  way  to  the  temptation  of  an 
an  apparent  benefit,  he  debafed  his  coin. 
A  man  of  the  name  of  Tair  Aga,  who 
poffeffed  this  Prince's  favour,  and  held 
the  place  of  Superintendant  of  the 
Mint,  at  the  beginning  of  his  reign, 
led  him  into  this  error,  and  I  have  reafon 
to  prefume,  that  having  learnt  better  to 
appreciate  his  real  intereft,  the  return  of 
peace  would  have  been  the  epocha  of  a 
general  new  coinage  j  but  the  immediate 
pecuniary  facrifice,  required  by  this  ope- 
ration, could  not  be  made  during  the 
warj  fpecie  of  fome  kind  was  neceflary. 
The  treafury  began  to  be  exhaufted,  the 
Mint  was  ftriking  money  night  and  day, 
and  filver  reduced  to  the  low  ftandard  of 
feven  penny  weights  pure,  lofing  its  duc- 
tility, the  firft  ftrokes  of  the  die  crufhed 
the  coins,  the  fteel  of  which  was  badly 
prepared  and  tempered.  This  inconve- 
nience not  only  delayed,  but  even  put  a 
total  flop  to  a  coinage  which  admitted  of 

no 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  I  69 

no  delay,  and  called  for  a  fpeedy  remedy. 
1  was  defined  to  point  it  out,  and  on  the 
principle  that,  amongfl  ignorant  people, 
one  muft  pretend  to  know  what  one 
knows  nothing  about.  1  undertook  the 
bufinefs,  fet  to  work  to  ftudy  theprinci- 
ciplesof  it,  and  foon  fucceeded  in  mak- 
ing the  coin  as  foiid  as  they  defired. 
Whilfl:  I  was  about  all  thefe  operations, 
the  workmen  1  was  infl:ru6ling,  intereft- 
ed  in  the  deftru6lion  of  the  coinage,  and 
unable  to  attack  the  goodnefs  of  the 
work,  tried  to  perplex  me  with  refpedl 
to  the  means  1  took  of  perfedling  the 
temper  of  the  metal ;  pretending  that  I 
had  only  fubftituted  urine  for  water,  and 
which  I  made  ufe  of,  to  have  the  plea- 
fureof  fuUying  the  name  of  the  Grand 
Signior,  by  plunging  it  into  fo  impure  a 
mixture  ;  and  after  having  circulated  this 
ridiculous  fuppofition,  they  laid  it  be- 
fore the  Grand  Signior  in  the  form  of  a 
legal  complaint.  It  was  fcarcely  credi- 
ble that  fiich  an  accufation  could  pro- 
duce any  effevSl ;  yet  fuch  is  the  force  of 
prejudice,  that  the  Grand  Signior  him- 
felf  thought  proper  to  have  the  matter 
explained;  pofTibly  he  thought  too. 
Vol.  111.  H  that 


170  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

that  I  Ihould  eafily  be  able  to  refute  the 
charge.  It  was  communicated  to  me 
from  him,  with  a  requefl:  to  give  him 
my  anfwer,  which  I  readily  found  in  the 
very  text  of  my  commentators.  Admit- 
ting the  fads,  and  acknowledging  the 
fan£lity  of  the  Emperor's  name,  I  added, 
that  however  rcfpedlablethat  was,  it  did 
not  become  man  to  pay  him  greater  ho- 
nours than  were  allowed  to  God,  whofe 
name  was  daily  written  on  a  compofiti- 
on^  wholly  compofed  of  rags  picked  out 
of  the  dirt.  This  anfwer  fatisfying  the 
Grand  Signior  that  he  was  not  infulted, 
threw  the  ridicule  it  merited  upon  the 
foolilh  calumny. 

This  Prince  not  content  with  borrow- 
ing ufeful  notions,  to  produce  a  tempo- 
rary corre6lion  of  thofe  vices  that  infefl- 
ed  every  part  of  the  adminiftration,  was 
defirous  of  extending  his  knowledge, 
and  of  laying  the  foundation  of  fcience 
by  the  eflablifhment  of  a  mathematical 
fchool,  of  which  he  requcfted  me  to  take 
the  diredlion.  The  corps  of  mathema- 
ticians, founded  by  Soliman,  cried  out 
sgainft  this  innovation,   which  pre-fup- 

pofed 


BARON     D£    TOT  T.  I71 

pofed  the  ignorance  of  the  Muhcndis  *, 
whofe  chief  declared  they  were  very- 
well  intruded. 

His  Highnefs  accordingly  determined 
that  thefe  geonnetricians  (hould  undergo 
a  previous  examination   by  me,    in  pre- 
fence  of  two  of  the  Minifters,    appointed 
commiflioners  for  that  purpofe.     We  af- 
fembled  on  the  day  appointed,  and  if  the 
learned  men  were  not  quite  at  their  eafe, 
I  was  myfelf  in    fome    anxiety.     Indeed, 
my  fituation  wasembarrafling :  I  wiflied 
to  conquer,    yet  I    was  afraid    of  hum- 
bling them.     My  vanity   urged  me   on 
the  one  hand,  and  my  delicacy  reilrain- 
ed  me  on  the  other.     The  aflembly  was 
compofed  of  the  Reis  Effendi,  the  Grand 
Treafurer,  the  Cheir-Emini  f,   the  Chief 
of  the  Geometricians,   and  of  fix  learned 
men  feleded  to  defend    the   honour  of 
the    body.      1   was  the   bugbear  of  the 
meeting,    which  was  opened    by  Ifmael 
Bey,   in  a  difcourfe  wherein  the  interell 
of  the  (late  was  fhown  to  be   infeparable 
from  the  will  of  the  defpot  ;    and  every 
head   bowing    acquicfcence,     1    was  re- 
quefted   to   begin    my    examination.     I 
Hi  rcfleaed 

•  Geometricians. 
f  Overfecrs  cf  the  buildings. 


172  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

rcfledled  a  long  time,  rcfolving  not  to 
be  hard  upon  them.  1  afked  the  Chief, 
What  the  three  angles  of  a  triangle  were 
equal  to  ?  I  was  defined  to  repeat  my 
queftion  ;  and  after  a  mutual  confulta- 
tion,  the  boldefl:  of  them  anfwered  me, 
with  firmnefs,  That  is  according  to  the 
triangle.  I  was  confounded,  and  mufl: 
confefs  that  I  ftood  in  need  offomefuch 
abfurd  anfwer,  to  reconcile  me  to  the 
fimplicity  of  the  queftion  I  had  put.  Ic 
was  unneceflary  to  pulh  the  examination 
any  further  ;  I  contented  myfelf  with 
explaining  my  queflion,  and  with  demon- 
flrating  this  mathematical  truth.  Tlieig^ 
norance  of  thefe  pretended  Geometricians 
required  no  further  demonftrationj  but  I 
muft  do  juftice  to  their  fubfequent  zeal 
for  the  Sciences  :  they  all  requefted  to  be 
received  into  the  new  fchool,  and  we 
immediately  fet  about  its  eftablifhment. 
1  was  one  day  at  the  Porte  on  fome 
bufincfs  refpefling  it,  which  the  Vifir  de- 
fired  me  to  conclude  with  the  Mektoub- 
tchi*,  whom  I  found  employed  about 
fome  urgent  difpatches,  and  was  wait- 
ing 

•  Secretary  of  State. 


BARON     DB    TOTT.  I73 

ing  his  leifureon  a  fopha,  whea  a  Chek  * 
of  Mecca  caine  and  fat  down  by  me. 
He  was  one  of  thofe  fanatics,  who,  from 
being  born  in  their  Holy  Land,  think 
themfelves  fuperior  beings ;  brave  the 
temporal  powers,  proflitute  the  name  of 
God,  afFed  to  dcfpife  riches,  and  arc 
moll:  infolent  beggars.  I  had  frequent- 
ly feen  this  fame  man  force  the  Vifir's 
gate,  come  and  feat  himfelf  by  him,  and 
there  remain  until  he  received  a  piece  df 
gold,  the  only  method  of  getting  rid  of 
him.  This  was  what  he  was  now  ex- 
pedling,  with  an  air  of  the  mod  confum- 
matc  infolencej  but  the  Mektoubtchi> 
who- was  not  difpofed  to  that  condefcen- 
fion,  entered,  before  him,  into  the  vari- 
ous particulars  of  the  new  eflablifhment, 
and  converfed  with  me,  in  his  prefence, 
on  the  various  objects  relative  to  my  o- 
ther  undertakings.  The  Chek,  atten- 
tive to  this  difcourfe,  looked  at  me  with 
afinonilhment,  and  feemed  to  find  a  dif- 
ficulty in  reconciling  my  drefs  with  the 
authority  I  appeared  to  exercife.  The 
H  3  Mek- 

•  A  fore  of  Arabian  Princes,  defcended  from 
Mahomet,  who  ferve  the  Holy  Mofque,  afTume  a 
licenfe  for  every  fpecies  of  infolence,  and  beg  from 
the  Grandees. 


174  MEMOIRS     OF    THE 

Mektoubtchi,  however,  fent  for  by  the 
Vifir,  defines  me  to  flay  till  his  return, 
and  leaves  nne,  with  the  Chek,  and  a 
Secretary,  who  was  bufy  writing  in  a 
corner  of  the  apartment.  The  filence 
"we  all  three  obferved  for  fome  time,  was 
interrupted  by  the  Emir,  for  the  green 
turban  of  the  Chek  marked  his  confan- 
guinity  with  the  Prophet.  "  Since  you 
employ  yourfelf,"  fays  he  to  me,  *^  in 
ferving  the  true  faith,  why  don*t  you  em- 
brace it,  and  abjure  the  errors  from  which 
the  mod  meritorious  adlions  cannot  ab- 
folve  you  ?"  Scarcely  had  he  finifhed  this 
ihort  apoftolic  harangue,  before  the  Se- 
cretary, letting  his  pen  drop  from  his 
hand,  threatened  him  to  go  immedi- 
ately and  give  an  account  of  his  info- 
lence  to  the  Vifir,  that  he  might  be  dri- 
ven from  the  Porte.  Bur,  interrupting 
the  Secretary,  I  defired  him  to  be  calm, 
a-nd  let  me  reply  to  the  Chek,  who  feem- 
ed  already  a  little  difconcerted  by  this  re- 
primand. *•■  It  is  very  natural,"  fiid  I, 
to  this  canting  MulTulman,  "  that  you 
fhould  avail  yourfelf  of  every  opportuni- 
ty of  propagating  your  faith,  and  1  thank 
you  for  fuppofing  me  worthy  your  atten- 
tion^ 


BARON    DE    TOTT.  I75 

tion  ;  but  I  know  a  miilion   much   more 
intercfting  for  your  zeal ;  which  is,  the 
converfion  of  a  multitude  of  Greenbeads^ 
who,  like  yourfclf,  are    kinfmen   of  the 
Prophet,    and    as  indifferent  about   his 
laws.     Go,  and  convert  them,  and  when 
you  have  completed   this    arduous  tafk, 
come    to  me,  and   I    will  then  tell  you 
what  I  fhall  do/'     ^he  Secretary   burft- 
ing  out  a  laughing,    the  poor  Chek  was 
covered  with  confufion  ;  he  went  off,  and 
the   fervants,  who    always    lifcen  at    the 
doors,  in  fhwv/mg  him    our,  alked   him 
if  he  was  going  to  convert  the  Gree/weaas, 
The  Porte  was  foon  informed  of  this  far- 
calm,  and  the  unfortunate  Chek  no  lon- 
ger ventured  to  fhow  himfclf  there.   The 
Mektoubtchi,  on  his  return,  hearing  of 
this  fcene,  made  many  apologies,  laugh- 
ed heartily  at  the  catallrophe,  and  expe- 
dited the  neceffary  orders  for    the  eda- 
blifliment  of  the  fchool. 

This  inftitution,  peculiarly  deftined 
for  the  fca-fervice,  was  held  at  the  Arfe- 
nal  j  but  no  pcrfon  could  be  admitted 
but  fuch  as  could  be  of  immediate  fer- 
vice  ;  fo  that  I  had  no  tricks  to  fear  from 
my  fcholars,  who  were  many  of  them 
H  4  captains 


iy6  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

captains  of  fhips,  with  white  beards,  and 
all  oftheoi  advanced  in  life.     1  di6tated 
the  leflbns  every  day  in  the  Turkifh  lan- 
guage, each  fcholar   wrote  it  out  in  his 
copy-book,  and  1   chofe  one  of   them  to 
repeat   it    to  the  others  the  next  day*. 
By  this  method  of  fixing  the  attention  of 
my  fcholars,  they  made   the  moll  rapid 
progrefs ;  at  the  end  of  three   months, 
they  were  able  to  make  a  pradlical  appli- 
cation of  the   four  problems  of  Plans 
Trigonometry;   and  this  v/as   the  extent 
of  the  education  I  propofed  to  give  th^m# 
Nothing  was  at  that  time  wanting  but 
field  engineers)  and  feamen  able  to  take 
the  height  ofthi^furt,  mak^  obrervations, 
and  keep  the  Ihip's  reckoning,  which  was 
enough,  fiirely,  for  fcholars  of  fixty  years 
of  age.      I  had  fettled  it  with  Sultan  Muf- 
tapha,  that  this  theory- fhouJd  be    incul- 
cated by  pradtice,  and   that  two   armed 
frigates  (hould  perform  their  evolutions, 
under  his  own  obfervations,  in  the  chan- 
nel 
•  The  method  of  mak  ing  fc  holars   become  pre* 
fefibrs   for  one  another,    mighi  be  very  fuccefsfully 
employed   in  all  fchools.      Nothing  is  learnt  well 
that  one  cannot    demonHrate  ;  to   add,    thereforCa 
the  motive  of  vanity  to  application,  is  making  fure 
of  inllru<5lion. 


BAROM    DE    TOTT.  inj 

nel  that  feparates  Conftantlnople  and 
Prince's  liland  *.  It  was  neceffary  to 
conftrudl  the  velfels  on  the  beft  princi- 
ples :  I  readily  furnifhed  the  plans  they 
defired  of  me,  of  which  they  only  adopt- 
ed, however,  the  ornaments  of  thefterns. 
The  proportions  by  which  I  propofed  to 
lower  the  decks,  were  rejedted  on  ac- 
count of  the  height  of  the  turbans }  and 
thofealfoby  which  I  would  have  added 
to  the  height  of  the  mafts,  from  no  other 
reafon,  than  that  when  the  veffel  lay  on 
her  fide,  it  would  be  inconvenient  for 
the  crew.  It  was  at  the  Arfenal, — it 
was  to  myfelf,  that  thefe  difficulties  were 
ftarted;  but  I  can  neither  doubt  the 
truth  of  thefe  abfurdities,  nor  inforce 
belief.  The  veiTel  La  Ferme^  given  by 
the  Court  of  France  to  the  Grand  Signi- 
or,  could  not  induce  them  to  alter  the 
mode  of  conftruding  the  tiller  of  their 
helm  i  for  the  power  of  the  defpor, 
which  can  annihilate  every  thing,  is  not 
H  5  able 

*  T  his  projeft,  which  could  only  be  carried  iito 
execution  after  fome  months  education,  was  laic/ 
afide  after  the  death  of  Muftapha,  whofe  a/tivity 
alone  could  infpire  energy  into  the  minds  of  a  fft  of 
Minifters,  corrupted  from  the  very  nature  of  the 
government. 


T/S  MEMOIR  S    OF    THE 

able  to    produce    a   reformation.      We* 
have  already  feen,    that  the  inllitution  of 
the  new  foundcry  had   not   deltroyed  the 
old  one  ;   the  funds  defigned  for  the  ar- 
tillery were  diverted  to  thacobje(ft;  and 
it  v/as  with  great  difficulty    that  the  ne- 
celTary  fuins    could    be    procured    for   a 
work  of  acknowledged  fuperior  utility. 
' — The  corps  of  geometricians    were    in 
polTefTion  of  Crov/n  lands  j  the  new  fchool 
had  no  encouragement  j   and  of  all   the 
new  eiiablifhments,  the  corps  of  the  Su- 
ratchis  alone,  which  is  founded  in    per- 
petuity, enjoyed  a  revenue   afTigned   for 
its  fupport ;   but  I  have  already  obfcrvedj. 
that  the  revenue  proceeded  fram  the  pro- 
fit of  a  fet   of  fubaltern  knaves  in  officCj 
who,  doubtlefs,  had  not  fufficient  credit 
to  fecure  the  fruits  of  their  depredations. 
The  abufes  exi fling  in  the  adminiilra- 
tion  of  the  navy,   more    powerfully  fhel- 
tered,  were  very  difficult  of  attack.   The 
enormous  expences,  however,  which  ap- 
peared on  the   accounts    for  mailing  the 
fliips,  for  want  of  a  proper  machine,  which 
I  nad  often  fpoken  of,   induced   the   go- 
"vernrneni  to  defire  me  to  give  duedlions 
fcr  conllrufting  one.     Itsfite  was  to  be 

near 


BARON    DE    TOTT.  I79 

near  the  careening  place,  and  the  *^uper- 
incendanc  of  the  Navy  had  orders  to  fur- 
nifh  me  with  the  neceflary  timber.  I 
lodged  my  carpenter  in  a  convenient  hut, 
and  I  fixed  on  1 20  (tct  for  its  height. 
The  badnefs  of  the  bottom  obliging  me 
to  lay-  the  foundation  on  piles,  and  as  on 
this  part  of  the  work  depended-  the  foli- 
dity  of  the  whole  machine,  I  paid  the 
utmoft  attention  to  it.  The  Admiral, 
however,  found  fault  with  me  for  tipping 
the  piles  with  iron  : — *'  That  is,"  faid 
he,  ''  throwing  the  Grand  Signior's  mo- 
ney into  the  fea,"  He  accufed  me,  alfo, 
of  making  too  many  of  them;  but  his 
Highnefs  did  not  think  proper  to  facri- 
fice  the  fclidity  of  a  work,  left  entirely  to 
my  diredtion,  for  {o  trifling  an  article  of 
ceconomy. 

The  Porte  was  continually  giving  me 
hopes  of  granting  fome  certain  eftablilh- 
ment  for  the  mathematical  fcholars, 
without  which,  it  was  not  to  be  expcd- 
ed  they  would  devote  themfelves  to 
thatftudyi  but  nothing  was  done,  and 
the  young  people  began  to  be  tired  of 
working  at  their  own  expence,  and  with- 
out any  profped.     I  obtained,  however, 

bv 


l30  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

by  my  reprefentations  in  that  refpe^-y 
through  the  channel  of  the  Superinten- 
dant  of  the  Mint,  fonne  gold  medals^ 
with  the  Grand  Signior^s  cypher  on  one 
fide,  and  on  the  reverfe,  an  infcription 
relative  to  the  fchool.  The  Reis  Effen- 
di  had  orders  to  aflifl  at  the  firll  exami- 
nation, to  diflribute  the  medals  to  fuch 
as  1  fhould  point  out,  with  a  permifliori 
to  wear  them  fufpended  by  a  gold  chain, 
and  to  add  the  moil  pofuive  afTurances 
of  promotion. — Their  afTiduity  was  re- 
doubled, and  I  very  foon  had  a  fcholar 
fit  to  join  the  army,  which,  dill  continu- 
ing at  Bababdag,  promifed  as  inadive  a 
campaign  as  the  preceding  ones-.  We 
were  fo  accuftomed,  in  fad,  to  this  in- 
adivity,  that  I  never  afl^ed  the  iVIini- 
nifters  any  queflions  refpedlng  military 
operations.  One  would  imagine,  alfo,. 
that  totally  taken  up,  as  I  was,  with  my 
work  at  the  arfenals  and  fchools,  1  fhould 
have  been  the  laft  perfon  to  be  interro- 
gated with  refped  to  what  was  pafTing 
at  the  army*  The  Vifir,  however,  aflc- 
ed  me  very  ferioufly  on^  day,.  If  the  Ot- 
tvman  army  was  numerous.  **  It  is  to  yoir 
1  ihould  addrefs  myfelf  for  that  infor- 
mation/* 


BARON     DE    TOT  T.  l8l 

itiation,"   faid    I,   *'  were   I    curious  to 
know." — "  I    am    ignorant  of    it,"    an- 
fwered  he,  **  Then  how  fball  I  know  any 
thing  of  the  matter  ?''— By  reading  the 
Vienna   Gazette,   replied    he.     I  was 
ftruck  dumb.     Such   repeated   proofs  of 
ignorance  and  abfurdity  united,  could  not 
be  balanced  by  the  growing  underftand- 
ing  of  Muflapha  j   and  it  was  ftill  more 
unfortunate    for    the   empire,    that  this 
Prince's  health,  which   was  very  precari- 
ous,  and  preferved  by  exercife  alone,  at 
length  gave  way,   and   he  died,  leaving 
the    throne    to   his  brother,  the  fole  re- 
maining   child  of  Achmet,     and    who, 
fhut   up   fince   the  death   of  his  father, 
united  to  a   very  gentle  charader,  natu- 
rally   fond    of  eafe,  the   neceffity  of  en- 
joying it  on  the  throne,  after  a  life  of  forty 
years  fpent  in    fear  and    folitude.     His 
firfl:  employment  was  to  examine  his  own 
Palace,  to  which  he  was  an  utter  ilran- 
ger  ;  to  open  all   the  coffers  he  faw  -,  to 
diflribute    to    thofe  who  were  with  him, 
everv  thing   the  moll  valuable  ^   and  the 
fudden  revolution  he  experienced  in  the 
ilate  of  his   bodily  pow^r,   threatened, 
for  more  than  a.  year,  to  afred  the  mod 

efieniia] 


282  MEMOIRS     OF    THE 

cflential  concern  of  all  the  Orieatal  Prin- 
ces who  feem  dr/i:ined,  by  their  own  dtC' 
potifm,  to  no  other  objedt  thaa  the  pro- 
pagation of  defpots. 

We  have  already  feen  the  cerennony  of 
a  coronation,  and  the  acccfTion  of  Abdul 
Ilamid  [Servant  of  God]  was  followed 
by  nothing  remarkable,  except  his  firft: 
edidl,  in  which,  after  the  ufual  common- 
place exprefiions,  he  enjoins  his  Mini- 
ilers  to  prote(5l  the  new  cftablilhments  of 
his  predecedor.  The  fame  fpirit  that 
didlated  this-order,  determined  the  Grand 
Signior  the  firfl  time  of  his  going  out,  to 
vific  the  fchool  of  artillery ;  and  the 
Porte  giving  me  notice  to  receive  him  at 
Kiathana,  defired  me  to  amufe  him  as  I 
thought  proper.  The  honours  to  be 
paid  him  were  alfo  left  to  my  difcretion. 
Anxious,  therefore,  to  attraifl  his  atten- 
tion to  the  agility  of  the  Suratchis,  I  or- 
dered a  detachment  of  that  corps  to  place 
itfelf,  with  only  one  piece,  near  to  Kara- 
Agatche  J,  there  to  falute  Sultan  Abdul- 
Hamid  with  one  and  twenty  guns  as  foon 

as 

X  A  Palace  of  the  Grand  Signior,  at  the  en- 
trance of  the  river  of  Kiathana,  at  the  bottom  of  the' 
harbour. 


BARON     DETOTT.  iS'j 

as  his   boat  appeared.     This   fird   trial 
had  all  the  fuccefs  that  could  be  defired  ; 
and  the  Grand  Signior,  aflonifhed  at  the 
fecond  fire,  made  his   rowers  lie    upon 
their  oarsf,  until  the  falute  was  finiihed. 
This  ferverd  me  as  a  fignal  to  arrange  the 
regiment  in    battle-array,  two   Jiundred 
paces  before   the  kiofk  where  his  High- 
nefswas  to  bej   and  as  the   fmall  pieces 
belonging  to  the   fchool  were  very  near 
it,  1  placed  a  Tartar  fentinel  there,  who 
had  ferved  in    the    Ruffian    army,   and 
whofe  European  difcipline  I  knew  would 
prevent  him  from  quitting  his  pod.    The 
heavy  artillery   which  I  had  pointed  to- 
wards the  butt,  faluted  the  Grand  Signior, 
when  he  was  feated,  with  one  and  twen- 
ty guns,   loaded    with  fhot,  and  as  1  re- 
mained very  near  his  kiofk,    to  be  ready 
to  receive  his   orders,   1  remarked,   that 
this  Prince,   paying  very  little  attention 
to  the  fkill  of  the  antient  gunners,  was 
entirely   taken    up  with   the   Suratchis, 
who   ftood   immoveable   with    bayonets 
fixed   by  the  fide  of  the  fmall  pieces.— 

The 

t  A  fea  phrafe  for  fufpending  the  a£lion  of  the 

oars  ;  ,^'hich  »s  only  pradifed  on  faluies,  to  exprcfs 

a  lenfe  o?  the  honour  conferred  by  it,  and  never  b.y 

ih^  Sovereign. 


184  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

The  falute  over,  he  makes  a  fign  to  his 
Seli(5lar  and  fpeaks  to  him  j  who  imme- 
diately comes  up  to  me,  and  requefts  of 
me,  in  the  name  of  his  mailer,  the  par- 
don of  the  criminal  who  was  doing  pe- 
nance, adding,  that  the  firrt  appearance 
of  the  Sovereign,  fliouUi  always  an- 
nounce his  clemency.  I  then  approach- 
ed the  Sultan,  to  aflure  him  that  this  fol- 
dier,  who  was  a  fentinel,  fo  far  from  fuf- 
fcring  punifliment,  was  very  fortunate  in 
attracting  for  a  moment,  theattention  and 
concern  of  his  Emperor;  but,  itis  enough, 
added  I,  that  your  Highncfs  conceives 
him  to  be  fuffering  for  me  to  relieve  him 
from  his  apparent  reftraint  J,"  and  turn- 
ing to  the  Tartar,  I  ordered  him  to  re- 
join his  colours.  **  No,  let  him  re- 
main," fays  the  Grand  Signior, — **  to 
defire  the  pardon  of  a  man  whom  I 
thought  guilty  of  fome  offence,  is  very 
different  from  difpenfing  with  the  rules 
you  have  eftabhfhed  -,  far  from  wifhing 
to  infringe  them,  I  am  cpme  to  apprehend, 
and  to  confirm  them.*'     A  fecond  order 

replaces 

X  The  Turks  pretend  that  the  word  of  the  Grand 

Signior  isinfaliibk  ;— a  defpot  cannot  be  deceived. 

—It  is  for  flaves  to  acknowledge  tl  at   he  is  always 

in  the  right. 


i 


BARON    DE    TOTT,  185 

replaces  the  fentinel  in  the  fame  immo- 
veable attitude.  The  Grand  Signior  then 
ordered  me  to  begin  the  exercife,  and 
whilft  I  was  at  a  diftance,  ordering  the 
regiment  to  march  ;  his  Highnefs  keep- 
ing his  eyes  fixed  on  the  Tartar,  gave 
fome  fequins  to  one  of  his  pages  to  carry 
to  that  automaton.  The  page  imiiiedi- 
arely  goes  up  to  him,  and  ilievving  him 
the  money  :  "  See  there,"  fliys  he,  *'  what 
the  fliadow  of  God,  the  King  ofKings, 
and  the  afylum  of  the  world,  fends  thee  ; 
proftrate  thyfelf  before  him!"  "  Put  the 
fequins  on  the  carriage  of  that  gun,"  re- 
plied the  fentinel  without  ftirring,  *'  and 
go  away."  '^  How  wretch,'*  faid  the 
page,  *'  doefl  thou  not  tremble  before  the 
mafter  of  blood  f  ?  He  beholds  thee, — 
^he  hears  thee  ; — proftrate  thyfelf,"  I  fay — • 
"  Do  what  I  tell  you,  and  be  gone,** 
fays  the  Tartar,  interrupting  him. — The 
page  returns,  and  relates  the  tranfa(5lioh 
to  his  mafter,  who  now  convinced  that 
I  had  deceived  him,  fays  to  his  Selidlar  : 
"  I  told  you  that  this  wretch  was  under- 
going punifhment ;  he  dare  not  even  re- 
ceive the  money  -,  however  do  not  let  us 

fay 
f  One  of  the  Grand  Signior's  titles. 


l86  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

fay  a  word    about  it."     This   prejudice 
liad  not  time  to    take  deep  root,  for  the 
affair  was  fcarcely  finifhed  before  the  re- 
giment, taking  pofleflion  of  the  battery, 
relieved  the  Tartar,  who  did  not  forget 
his  money,  and  difplayed  fuch  agility  in 
the  exercife,  that  he  once  more  attrad- 
ed.  the  attention  of  Abdul-Hamid.    This 
Prince  appeared    to  take  fo  much  plea- 
fure  in  the.  alertnefs  of  the  gunners,    that 
1  was  obliged  to  make  them  repeat  their 
exercife  feveral  times  the  fame   day,  and 
to    fatisfy    him,    as    the    laft    proof,    I 
made  them  fire  a  hundred   and    twenty 
cartridges,  one   at    a  time,  in  lefs  than 
^^■""■'^'"^ight   minutes.      Different   manucrvres 
of  the  artillery,  and  fome  bombs  fired  at 
the  butt,  completed  the  bufinefs  of  the 
day,  in  which  the  Sovereign  appeared  to 
prefer  military   occupations   to  thofe  a- 
mufemcnts  to  which  from  an  imprifon- 
ment  of  forty  years,  he  was   more  likely 
to   give    the    preference.      The  reader, 
however,  muft  already  have  underflood, 
that  by  a  very  extraordinary  ctTedl,    Ab- 
dul Hamid,  on  his  coming  to  the  throne, 
hadfuddenlj  loft  the  rights  of  the  Harem. 
The  Turkilh  dodors,  and   the  Europe- 
an 


BARON    DE    TOTT.  187 

an  phyficians,  who  were  confulted  on 
this  fingular  event,  after  inveftigating 
the  caufe  of  it,  advifed  his  Highnefs  to 
difpel  by  amufements  every  thing  that 
had  the  lead  connexion  with  it  ;  thus  to 
deftroy  the  efFecl,  by  removing  the 
caufe  of  the  diforder.  Frequent  excur- 
fions,  naufic,  and  buffooneries,  entirely 
occupied  the  Prince,  whilfl  \\\%  favourites 
were  wifhing  for  the  termination  of  a 
war  that  fwallowed  up  immenfe  fums, 
which  they  thought  they  could  employ 
to  better  purpofe,  and  his  Minijlers  faw 
with  trembling,  the  moment  approach, 
when  the  enemy  would  force  them  to  re- 
ceive the  moit  humiuating  conaitions. 

A  fimplc  boftandgy,  attached  to  Ab- 
dul-Hamid  in  his  retirements,  was  be- 
come his  favourite  fince  his  acceffion  to 
ihQ  throne.  Accuftomed  to  little  inferior 
fervices,  low  intrigue  was  his  only  ta- 
lent, to  which  he  added,  Tince  he  got 
into  favour,  an  infolence  he  had  till  then 
never  been  able  to  difplay.  The  Vifir 
Caimakam  was  his  firft  vidim  in  whofe 
place  was  fubftituted  the  celebrated  Haf- 
fan  Pacha,  furnamed  Kouyoudgy,  f  f^^ 
Maker  of  Wells  J  of  whom'  I  have  fre- 
quently 


l88  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

quently  fpoken,  and  whofe  cruelty  was 
unacquainted  with  any  other  methods  of 
governing  than  thole  of  deftrudion.  Ifed 
Bey,  whofe  gentle  and  benevolent  cha- 
rader  1  have  already  mentioned,  was  al- 
fo  removed  from  the  Superintendance  of 
the  Mint,  and  appointed  to  the  inferior 
office  of  Cheir-Emini.  The  firll  thing 
I  did  was  to  wait  upon  him,  to  teftify  my 
concern  for  this  change  ;  but  my  friend- 
ship was  foon  confoled  by  the  gratifica- 
tion of  enjoying,  with  him,  the  plcafures 
of  his  new  fituation  :  The  poor  and  un- 
fortunate had  followed  him,  and  befet 
the  gate  of  his  new  dwelling  !  an  af- 
fedlng  circumftance,  which  did  toO^ 
much  honour  to  the  difplaced  Minifler, 
not  to  afford  him  ample  recompence  for 
his  difgrace.  The  new  Vifir,  however, 
who  was  feleded  for  his  feverity  of  cha- 
radler,  was  willing  to  merit  that  reputa- 
tion by  making  the  very  court  of  his  Pa- 
lace ferve  for  the  fird  execution  after  his 
coming  into  office  ;  and  it  was  with  diffi- 
culty he  could  be  perfuaded  that  fome  cir- 
cumftances  might  polTibly  happen  to 
thwart  his  arbitrary  pleafure. 

The 


BARO  N     DE    TOTT.  189 

The  overfeer  of  the  founderics  under 
my  dire£lion,  was  afraid  alfo  of  falling  a 
vidlim  to  his  cruelty.     I  faw  him  arrive 
one  day,  later  than  the  ufualhourj  terror 
was  painted  on  his  countenance  ;   his  fer- 
vants  could  fcarcely  fupport  him,  "  What 
is  the  matter  with  you  ?"    faid  I.— 
''  What  accident  can  have  brought  you 
into   your  prefent   fituation?" — "I   am 
undone!'*    replied  he;   "  the  new  Cai- 
makam  has  juft  aflured  me,  that  if  the 
fifty  pieces  of  cannon  you  are  preparing, 
are  not  on   the  way  to  the  army  in  two 
days,  which  you  know  is  impoflible,  he 
will  take  off  my  head  :    It  is  not  in  your 
power  to  fave  me  ;   and  I  pray  God  to 
avert  even  from  yourfelf,  a  misfortune 
which  would  for  ever  difgrace  our  em- 
pire,"    The  Nafir*s  *  ideas  were  fo  dif- 
turbed,  that  it  was   impofTible,  for  the 
prefent,  to  enter  into  any  further  difcuf- 
fion  of  the  matter.     I  firit  tried  to  foothe 
him,  and  as  foon  as  I  faw  him  capable 
of  liftening  to  me,  I  afked  him,   what 
anfwer  he  had  oriven  the  Minifter? — *^  I 
took  care,"  replied  he,  '^  not  to  fay  one 
word  to  him,  for  it  would  have  been  the 

laft 
*  Overfeer. 


190  MEMOIRS    OF   THE 

laft  word  of  my  life.'*—''  In  that  cafe,'* 
faid  I,  "  all  is  well  ;  make  yourfelfeafy, 
and  follow  exadlly  the  diredlions  I  am 
about  to  give  you  :  Go,  this  inftant,  and 
find  him ;  humbly  tell  him,  that  you 
have  been  to  deliver  me  his  orders,  which 
I  received  in  fuch  a  manner,  as  that  you 
dare  not  repeat  my  anfwer  to  him;  and 
that  on  your  repeatedly  urging  me  to 
carry  them  into  execution,  1  anfwered 
you  (harply,  that  your  bufinefs  was  only  to 
pay  the  expcnces ;  and  that  with  refpedt 
to  all  the  reft,  it  being  the  Minifters 
duty  to  apply  to  me,  I  knew  what  anfwer 

I  had  to  give  him *'  There,'*  added  I, 

"  is  a  fimple  method  of  extricating  your- 
fclf  from  the  affair;  and  I  beg  you  will 
not  be  uneafy  on  my  account;  I  am  glad 
of  an  opportunity  of  giving  a  little  leflbn 
to  your  Maker  of  fi^elis,''  It  was  with 
fome  difficulty,  however,  that  I  prevail- 
ed on  Seid-Effendi,  to  adopt  any  mea- 
fure  that  would  again  bring  him  into  the 
prcfence  of  the  Cutler  off  of  Heads.  Yet 
his  very  fears  ought  to  have  infpired  him 
with  courage  ;  and  1  at  length  perfuaded 
him.  On  his  return  he  informed  me,  that 
this  attack  had  produced  the  defired  ef- 

fcd 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  igi 

fe^  of  diverting  the  anger  of  Muftapha 
Pacha  to  me.     The  Overfeer,   on  being 
queftioned  refpeding   me,  aflured  him, 
that  I  was  as  zealous  for  the  interefl  of 
the    Grand    Signior,    as    untradlable    in 
every  other  point  j   and  as  I  was,  in  fa6t, 
determined,    vigoroufly  to  repulfe  every 
improper  proceeding,    I    found    myfelf 
v£ry  foon  engaged  with  the  Caimakam. 
He  fent  one  of  the  Mekters  §,  the  next 
morning,   to   order  me  to  come  to  the 
Porte;    and  this  Tchoadar,  concluding, 
no  doubt,   from  the   tone  of  his  mafter, 
that  he  was  not  very  favourably  difpofed 
towards  me,  thought  he  might  take  upon 
him  to  anticipate  his  intentions,  by  ac- 
cofting  me  in  a  familiar  manner, — taking 
me  by  the  arm,  in  executing  his  commif- 
fion. — My  firft  anfwer  was  a  fmart  blow 
on  his  bread ;    and  my  fird  word,  an  or- 
der to  turn  him  out  of  the  Grand  Signior's 
foundery,   where  he  dared  to  come  and 

in- 

^  Mekters — This  word,  which  literally  means 
muficians,  is  given  to  the  Tchoadars,  or  footmen 
more  particularly  employed  in  the  execution  of  ex- 
ternal commiffions.  They  are  attached  to  the  of- 
fice of  the  Viftrate  :  and  the  perquifues  of  this  em- 
ployment are  fo  lucrative,  as  to  make  them  fought 
after. 


192.  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

infult  me.  Already  had  the  workmen, 
though  Turks,  run  to  turn  the  Vifir's 
meflenger  to  the  door,  when  terrified  ac 
fuch  a  reception,  protefling  his  innocence, 
he  politely  defired  me  to  come  to  the 
Porte,  where  his  mailer  had  ordered  him 
to  condu6l  me.  *'  All  I  can  do  for  you," 
faid  I  to  him,  "  is  tofplit  the  difference 
with  you  :-^I  forgive  you  what  is  paft  j 
—go  about  your  bufinefs, — and  never  fet 
your  foot  here  again.— But  be  fure  you 
acquaint  your  mafler  with  the  manner  in 
which  1  received  you,  that  he  may  re» 
commend  more  circumfpedion,  in  fu- 
ture, to  the  perfons  he  may  think  proper 
to  fend  to  me.'*  "  I  fhall  take  good 
care,"  replied  the  Tchoadar,  "  not  to 
fay  a  word  to  him  of  that;  he  is  not  fo 
tradlable  as  his  predeceflbrs ;  and  I  ear- 
neftly  beg  of  you  to  come  and  fpeak  to 
him  : — God  knows  what  will  become  of 
me,  if  he  fees  me  return  without  you." 
"  That  is,  however,  what  you  muftdo," 
faid  Is  "  I  am  not  in  a  humour  to  go  to 
the  Porte  to-day ; — perhaps  I  may  go  to- 
morrow." The  Mekter,  after  exhauft- 
ing  his  rhetoric,  without  being  able  to 
obtain  a  more  fatisfadory  anfwer,  with- 
drew. 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  I93 

drew.  My  Nafir,  who  was  witnefs  to 
the  fcene,  afked  me,  what  I  expedled 
would  be  the  confequence  of  this  con- 
dua  ?  "  Your  fafety,"  I  replied,  "  and 
my  tranquillity  i — Muftapha- Pacha  mufl: 
be  ftunned  to  make  him  tradlable :  that 
is  what  I  have  undertaken,  and  I  pro- 
mife  you,  that  I  will  render  him  as  gentle 
to-morrow,  as  he  fhowed  himfelf  brutal 
to  you  yeflerday." 

1  went  the  next  day  to  the  Caimakam's ; 
but  as  our  converfation  was  likely  to  be 
warm,  I  thought  proper  to  take  a  third 
perfon  with  me,  and  I  made  choice  of 
the  Drogman  of  the  Porte  as  my  wit- 
nefs. I  took  the  precaution  likewife, 
that  I  might  have  an  interpreter  to  begin 
the  converfation,  without  being  obliged 
to  enter  diredly  into  it  myfelf,  until  I 
faw  the  proper  moment.  Muftapha- 
Pacha's  Outfet  was,  as  I  had  forefeen, 
brutal  and  imperious;  and  obfervingtliat 
I  afFe(fled,  whilfl:  he  was  fpeaking,  to 
look  about  me  on  every  fide  but  towards 
him,  he  afked  the  Drogman  if  I  did  not 
underftand  Turkifli.  He  replied  in  the 
affirmative. — "  Why  does  he  not  anfwer 
me,    then?"   refumed  the   Vifir.     *' Ee- 

VoL.  III.  1  caufc/' 


194  M  E  M  0  I  R  S    0  F    T  H  E 

caufe,"  faid  I,  taking  up  the  converfa- 
tion,  '*  1  have  never  been  accuftomed  to 
converfe,  (landing,  with  your  predecef- 
fors  ;  order  the  Mader  of  the  Ceremo- 
nies to  be  called  ; — he  will  teach  you  the 
cuflom  you  are  unacquainted  with. — To 
lave  trouble/*  added  I,  "  I  will  teach 
you  them  myfelf.'*  Then  advance,  feat 
myfelf  by  him,  and  I  begin  a  vague, 
general  converfation  on  his  journey  and 
arrival.  In  the  interim,  coffee  and  pipes 
are  brought  j  and  after  fufficiently  re- 
pulfing  his  various  attempts  to  talk  to  me 
about  the  artillery,  by  interrupting  him 
every  moment  with  queftions  relative  to 
the  Court,  I  at  length  confented  to  liften 
to  every  thing  he  had  to  fay  to  me  on  the 
fubjedt-,  which  he  did  in  tolerably  mea- 
fured  language.  Attributing  the  abfo- 
lute  (lile  he  had  afTumed,  to  the  pref- 
fing  orders  fent  him  from  Babadag*, — 
"  I  believe,''  faid  I  to  him,  **  that  you 
have  got  the  Grand  Vifir's  letter  properly 
explained  to  you  §  j    but  I  mufr  give  you 

a  piece 

*  A  town  ne.-r  the  Balkan,  where  the  Ottoman 
army  had  lain  incamped  three  years  ! 

§  Mullapha-Pacha,  Cairaakam,  the  fo  celebrated 
Haffan-Pacha,  could  neither  read  nor  write. 


BARON     DETOTT.  IpJ 

a  piece  of  advice,  no  lefs  neceflary   to 
your  tranquillity  and  mine,   than  to  the 
good  of  the  fervice.     The  Grand  Signior 
has  intruded  to  you  the  prefervation  of 
good  order,   and    the  care  of  furnifhing 
the  capital   with  provifions  j   he  has  in- 
truded nne  with  the  management  of  every 
thing    refpeding   the   artillery,   and  the 
different   military  details  :    Let  us  then 
refpedively  do  our  duty  ;    you  ought  to 
provide  me  v/ith  every  neceflary  in  my 
department,   and  lay  my  demands  and 
obfervations  before  your  mader,  when  I 
make  ufe  of  the  channel  of  your  office  for 
that  purpofe.     It  was  thus  that  your  pre- 
deceflbrs,    men    well    informed,    always 
condudled  themfelves  towards  me:    and 
1  further  beg  you,  after  their  example, 
to   grant  feme    favour   to  Seid-EiTcndi. 
The  poor  Nafir  is  fo  eafiiy  intimidated, 
that  his  fear  would  do  you  no  great  ho- 
nour.   I  could  not  help  laughing,"  added 
I,    '*  at  the  fright  you  gave  him  the  day 
before  yederday  ;   he  thought  he  was  un- 
done, but  I  gave  him  courage."    During 
this  whole  harangue,  the  Caimakam  kept 
looking    at   me    with  adonifnment:     he 
complimented  ir.e  on  my  facility  in  fpeak- 
1  2  ing 


196  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

ing  the  Turkifli  language;  and  as  he 
imagined  no  doubt  that  no  man  could 
look  at  him  without  trembling,  he  exalt- 
ed my  courage,  and  guefled  that  I  was 
a  military  man  ;  after  which  I  took  leave 
of  him :  but  fcarcely  had  I  got  out  of  the 
apartment  with  my  colleague,  who  was 
laughing  in  his  fleeve  at  the  little  leflbn  I 
had  juft  been  giving  the  Caimakam,  be- 
fore he  was  fent  for,  to  come  back  and 
fpeak  to  him.  '*  This  Frenchman  ap- 
pears to  be  a  bold  fellow,  but  he  talks  a 
great  deal."  **  1  do  not  think,  however, 
replied  the  Drogman,  that  your  Excel- 
lency has  heard  any  thing  efcape  him  that 

is  mifplaced." "   True,  faid  Mufta- 

pha,  every  thing  he  has  faid  is  very  clever, 
— but  once  more  1  tell  you,  he  talks  a 
great  deal."  After  this  fhort  dialogue, 
which  the  interpreter  immediately  re- 
lated to  me^  1  haflened  to  comfort  my 
Nafir,  and  m^ke  him  laugh  at  his  ap- 
prehenfions. 

As  foon  as  the  train  of  artillery,  and 
the  detachment  of  the  new  corps  were 
fent  off  to  the  army,  I  was  employed  to 
caft  the  pieces  for  the  new  forts ;  and  the 
Grand   Signior  defired  me  at  the  fame 

time 


BARON     DETOTT.  1 97 

time  to  fuperintend  the  conftrudlion  of 
two  fmall  pattern  pieces,  with  which  he 
intended  to  do  honnage  at  the  tomb  of 
the  prophet.     He  had  juft  appointed  his 
favourite  to  the  dignity  of  Surre-Emini, 
His  nomination  to   this  office,  the  duty 
of  which  is  to  condu61:  the  Pilo-rims  to 
Mecca,   and  is  confidered  only  as  a  lu- 
crative employment,  proved  to  the  pub- 
lic at  once  the  decline  of  his  favour,  and 
the  imprudent  rapacioufnefs   of  the  fa- 
vourites.    I  waited  upon  him  to  deliver 
the  offering  1  have  mentioned,  and  I  im- 
proved the  opportunity  to  examine  the 
different   prefents,  with   which   he   was 
going    to  do  homage   at  Mecca.     He 
firfl  made  me  remark  the  green  and  gold 
filk   fluff,    defigned  to   cover  the  tomb, 
the  tifTue  of  which  is  remarkable  from  its 
thicknefs  ;    but  it  is  more   fo,    that  the 
Republic  of  Venice  fhould  have  contradl- 
ed  the  cuffom  of  making  this  prefent  to 
the  Porte,  on   every  frefh  embaffy,   for 
which  purpofe  the  Venetians  keep  a  loom 
conftantly  going;   a  cuftom  perhaps  re- 
fembling  too  much   a  tribute  §.     From 
1   3  this 

§  It  cannot  be  denied,  in  fa£l,  that  the  fole  dif- 
ference between  a  tribute  and  a  prefent,   confifts  in 

the 


198  MEMOIRS     OF     THE 

this  I  paflcd  to  other  objedls,  more  pro- 
per to  amufe  children,  than  fuited  to  the 
gravity  of  the  occafion  for  which  they 
were  defigned. — They  confifted  of  feve- 
ral  pack  faddles  for  camels,  carrying 
little  kiofks,  within  which  were  repre- 
fented  the  ufeful  arts,  fuch  as  plowing, 
harvefl  work,  mills,  bakehoufes,  &c. — 
Little  flags  enriched  thefe  different  pic- 
tures, which  were  to  lead  the  march  of 
this  holy  caravan. 

Whilll  the  confidence  of  the  favourite 
made  him  behold  with  pleafure  the  mo- 
ment of  his  departure,  Umer  Effendi, 
Grand  Treafurer,  who  had  no  occafion  to 
go  and  make  his  fortune  at  a  diftance, 
had  hitherto  known  how  to  infure  the 
enjoyment  of  it,  in  fpiteof  the  ^lemies 
he  had  made  himfelf  by  his  afluming 
manner.  Their  intrigues  had  always 
been   confined   to   his  removal   to  fome 

diftant 

the  liberty  of  giving.  To  eftablifti  the  cuftom  of 
giving  the  fame  thing  at  ftared  periods,  is  in  fome 
degree  to  lay  the  foundation  of  a  claim  ;  this  right 
acquires  greater  force  when  applied  to  people  whofe 
cuiloms  are  their  only  laws.  The  {tudy  of  manners 
will  always  furni(h  the  firft  elements  of  politics,  and 
to  eftablilh  fuch  cuftoms,  when  one  can  deny  the 
fervitude,  is  not  to  underhand  politics. 


BARON    DE     TOTT.  T99 

diftant  employment^  which  he  had  always 
been  artful  enough  to  avoids  but  it  v/as 
refervcd  to  Kouyoudgi-Pacha  to  obviate 
every  difficulty.  Umer,  at  length,  call- 
ed into  his  prefence,  and  proclaimed  go- 
vernor of  a  province,  pleaded  in  vain  his 
dignity  of  the  feather,  in  bar  to  his  ac- 
ceptance of  the  fword  ;  the  Vifir  made 
him  take  off  his  head-drefs,  to  alTume 
the  turban  of  his  prefent  promotion. 
The  Trcafurer  for  fome  time  combated 
this  violence,  but  he  was  foon  obliged 
to  fubmit  to  this  ftrange  manner  of  raif- 
ing  a  man  to  dignity.  It  was  not  long, 
however,  before  the  Vifir  himfclf  became 
a  vidim  to  the  want  of  prudence  that  re- 
gulated all  his  adlions,  and  the  com- 
plaints of  the  men  of  the  law  procured 
his  overthrow,  and  exile  into  Afia; 
where,  a  fhort  time  after,  Muftapha-Pacha 
was  placed  in  his  proper  fphere,  by  the 
commiffioa  he  received  to  vifit  the  pro- 
vinces, and  fcour  them  of  thofe  bands 
of  robbers  which  had  multiplied  with 
the  war. 

His  fuccefiTor  v/as  that  very  Ifed  Bey, 

who,    after  falling  from  an  elevated,    t9 

an  inferior  fituation,  was  again  railed  to 

L  4.  the 


200  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

the  highefl  dignity,  when  he  lead  ex- 
peded  and  defired  it.  This  was  the 
more  remarkable,  as  the  poft  of  Cheir- 
Emini,  which  he  had  held,  had  never, 
hitherto,  been  a  ftep  to  the  Vifirate. 
The  abfolute  necelFicy  there  *was  of  op- 
pofing  firmnefsto  violence,  humanity  to 
cruelty,  mildnefs  to  brutality,  and  cir- 
cumfpedion  to  imprudence,  was  per- 
haps the  only  motive  that  influenced 
this  choice.  1  went  the  third  day  after 
his  inftallation,  to  pay  my  compliments 
to  the  new  Minifter.  He  received  mc 
with  the  fame  air  of  friendfhip  he  had 
prcftrved  in  his  difgrace.  1  was  fcated 
on  the  fopha  at  the  diftance  becoming 
the  difference  of  fituations^  and  as  whac 
I  had  to  fay,  was  not  proper  to  be  com- 
municated to  the  croud  who  were  (land- 
ing oppofite  to  us,  we  mutually  leaned 
to  converfe  in  a  low  voice;  this  attitude 
becoming  painful,  he  defired  me  to  ap- 
proach him  3  but  obfcrving  a  fort  of  re- 
llraint  in  me,  which  had  not  before  flruck 
him,  he  fays  to  me  aloud,  "  What,  then, 
my  friend!  you  are  afraid  to  come  near 
me?"  Then  opening  his  pelice,  and 
fpreading    it   on    the  fophs,    *'  Get  up," 

added 


RARON    DE    TOTT,  (201 

added  he,  "  and  feat  yourlelf  on  thefe 
furs  J- — that  is  your  place; — if  you  have 
forgot  itj  it  is  nny  duty  to  remember  it." 
The  multitude,  who  always  obey  theim- 
pulfe  that  is.given  them,  cried  out  with 
enthufiafm,  '^  liong  live  our  new  maf- 
ter  !" 

The  negociations  for  peace,  which  had 
been  long  on  the  tapis,  were  only  retard- 
ed by  the  perfonal  fears  of  the  Grand 
Vifir.  The  Porte  preiTed  him  to  con- 
clude it ;  but  although  he  had  no  doubt 
of  the  defign  of  the  Porte  to  terminate 
the  war  on  any  terms,  he  could  not  but 
be  fenfiblc  that  the  blame  of  a  difgrace- 
ful  peace  recoiling  only  upon  him,  the 
forfeit  of  his  life  would  follow  the  ftgiia- 
ture  of  the  treaty.  Stopped  by  this 
confideration,  he  demanded  powers  from 
the  Porte,  which  were  refufed  him,  un- 
der the  pretext  of  their  inutility ;  but, 
in  fad,  from  the  famcr motives  that  led 
him  to  demand  them;  and  the  Miai- 
fters,  who  thought  of  nothing  buttheir 
own  fafety,  affedVed  to  treat  the  care  he 
took  of  his,  as  a  proof  of  pufiUanimity. 
But  his  wife,  at  length,  one  of  the  fif- 
ters  of  the  Grand  Signior,  put  an  end  to 
1    5  this 


202  MEMO  IRS    OF    THE 

this  difcuflion.  This  Sultana  wrote  to 
her  hufband,  that  he  might  fign  every 
thing  with  innpunity  ;  and  her  hufband, 
who  was  very  old,  'tis  true,  died  after 
having  figned  the  peace,  and  difbanded 
the  army. 

Ifed-Pacha,  who  until  then  had  only 
borne  the  title  of  Caimakam,  received 
with  the  fcals,  that  of  Grand  Vifiri  and 
the  Turkifli  government  once  more  con- 
centered in  the  capital,  foon  returned  to 
its  ancient  errors.  The  edablifhments  I 
had  formed,  however,  were  flill  conti- 
nued ;  but  the  founderies,  the  artillery 
fchool,  and  the  fchool  of  mathematics, 
affoiding  no  farther  Icope  for  my  activity 
than  that  of  purfuing  the  fame  obje6ls 
without  the  hopes  of,  extending  them,  I 
refolved  to  return  to  France  j  without 
informing  the  Porte,  however,  of  my  in- 
tention of  abandoning  them,  which  they 
were  far  from  feeming  to  defire,  for  I 
was  even  defired  to  appoint  Vekils  for  the 
different  eftablifhments. 

The  Grand  Signior,  on  my  taking 
leave,  cloathed  me  with  a  very  elegant 
pelice  of  fable;  but  I  foon  received  a 
farewell  with  which   I   was  much  more 

affeded. 


BARON    D£    TOTT.  203 

affeded.  The  veflel  which  was  to  carry 
me  to  Smyrna,  where  I  was  to  embark 
on  board  one  of  the  King's  frigates,  had 
already  weighed  anchor,  and  fet  her  iails, 
when  feveral  boats  came  aboard  us,  I 
then  faw  myfelf  furrounded  by  all  my  pu- 
pils, each  of  them  with  a  book  or  an  in- 
ftrument  in  his  hand  : — ''  Before  you 
quit  us,"  faid  they,  with  tendernefs, 
"  give  us  at  lead  a  iafi:  lefTon:  it  will  be 
more  deeply  engraven  on  our  memories 
than  all  tiie  reft." — One  opened  his  book 
to  explain  the  fquareof  the  hypothenufe; 
another,  with  a  long  beard,  fet  his  qua- 
drant to  take  the  altitude;  a  third,  afl<:- 
ed  me  queftions  on  the  quarter  of  reduc- 
tion :  and  all  of  thefe  accompanied  me 
upwards  of  two  leagues  to  fea,  >vhere  we 
feparated  with  a  tendernefs  th'5  .nore  af- 
feding,  as  the  Turks  are  rarely  fufcepti- 
ble  of  it  J  and  I  was  confequently  the  lefs 
prepared  for  it. 


End  of  the  Third  Part. 


204  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 


Fourth    Part. 

AFTER  making  my  obfervations  on 
the  charadler,  the  manners,  and 
government  of  the  Turks  in  the  capital 
of  their  vaft  empire,  I  had  flill  to  vifit 
the  diftant  provinces,  to  examine  the 
different  people  they  contain,  to  trace 
out  thofe  Ihades  of  defpotifm  which  are 
naturally  produced  by  the  diftance  of 
the  defpot. 

The  abufes  introduced  into  the  differ- 
ent commercial  eftablifhments  of  France 
in  the  Levant,  arifing  more  from  the 
contrariety  of  the  laws  themfelves,  than 
from  negle£l  of  the  regulations,  deter- 
mined the  government  to  order  a  gene- 
ral infpedion  of  them,  and  I  was  en- 
trufted  with  this  commifTion. 

The  King's  frigate  L'Atalante,  com.- 
manded  by  the  Baron  de  Durfort,  re-. 
ceived  orders  to  get  ready,  to  conduft 
me  in  this  tour;  and  M.  le  Comte,  and 
Madame  la  ComtefTe  de  Teffej  M.  le 
Due  d'Ayen,  and  le  Comte  de  Meun, 
who  were  firft  to  be  conveyed  to  Sicily 

by 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  20^ 

by  the  fame  frigate,  being  arrived  at 
Toulon,  we  fet  fail  the  2cl  of  May, 
1777.  OfFCapeCorfe  we  fell  in  with 
fettled  eafterly  winds,  which  determin- 
ed M.  de  Durfort  to  put  into  Genoa, 
from  whence,  after  a  few  days,  he  put 
to  fea,  and  landed  the  travellers  at  their 
place  of  deflination. 

From  thence  we  failed  to  Malta,  where 
I  had  a  commiflion  to  execute  with  the 
Grand  Mafter  j  and  we  at  length  arrived 
at  the  Ifle  of  Candia,  where  I  began  my 
infpedlion. 

This  iiland,  the  ancient  Crete,  which 
in  fome  degree  feparates  the  Archipela- 
go from  the  Mediterranean,  is  formed 
by  a  long  chain  of  mountains,  running 
from  Weft  to  Eaft,  which  may  be  con- 
fidered  as  a  continuation  of  that  which 
forms  the  North  of  the  Adriatic,  traverfes 
the  Morea,  and  joins  Mount  Lebanon 
in  Coromania. 

The  ifland  of  Crete,  celebrated  by  the 
poets  of  the  moft  remote  antiquity,  ftill 
prefents  to  the  curious  traveller  its  fa- 
mous labyrinth.  It  lays  claim,  too.  to 
the  poflefilon  of  the  true  Mount  Olym- 
pus, 


2o6  MEMOIRS     OF    THE 

pus,  .which  is  difputed    with  it    by   the 
two  coafts  of  Europe  and  of  Ada*. 

The  pious  fidions,  common  to  every 
age,  have  fubftituted  for  thefe  ancient 
monuments  of  Paganifm,  the  Grotto  of 
St.  Margaret,  more  worthy,  certainly, 
of  the  veneration  of  the  modern  Greeks, 
and  Hill  more  calculated  to  attract  the 
attention  of  the  natural  philofopher  §. 
The  mountains  on  the  fouth  fide  are  fo 
near  the  Tea,  as  to  render  this  iiland  al- 
moft  inaccelTible  towards  the  Mediter- 
ranean, which  gives  all  the  advantages 
of  culture,  of  which  a  bad  foil  is  fufcep- 
tible,  to  the  north  fide  of  the  iiland  ; 
and  the  inhabitants  are  indebted  to  the 
beauty  of  the  climate  alone  for  thofe  rich 
produdlions,     the     exchange    for    corn, 

of 

*  There  are  two  other  mountains  of  the  name  of 
Olympus;  the  one  in  Afia-Minor,  at  the  foot 
of  which  is  fuuated  the  famous  City  of  Prufa:  the 
other  in  Europe,  in  the  Gulph  of  the  ancient 
ThefTalonica.  The  latter,  near  which  is  a  little 
valley,  (till  called  the  Valley  of  Tempe,  would 
feem  to  have  the  bed  afcertained  pretenfions;  but 
it  is  impoflible  to  decide  from  the  appearance  of 
thefe  (iifferent  mountains. 

§  This  grotto  is  very  remarkable  from  the 
quality  of  its  flaladites,  and  the  variety  i:ofi"ers, 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  lOJ 

of  which  they  are  deftitute.  Oils  are 
their  principal  article  of  commerce, 
and  the  making  of  foap,  their  chief 
branch  of  induftry.  That  art  is  brought 
to  fo  little  perfection,  that  notwithfland- 
ing  the  vicinity  of  the  confumer,  we' 
export  from  thence  the  greateft  quantity 
of  thefe  oils,  for  the  foap-houfes  at  Mar- 
feilles,  and  fell  part  of  them  at  Conftan- 
tinople.  The  wild  olive  trees  which  -I 
have  found  on  the  eaftern,  uninhabited 
part  of  the  ifland,  prove  them  to  be  na- 
tives, as  well  as  the  laurel  rofe,  which 
(hades,  and  gives  a  colour  to  all  the 
vallies,  caufing  a  vapour,  which  is  faid 
to  be  fatal  to  fuch  as  are  furprifed  by 
fleep.  The  country  is  covered  with 
orange  and  lemon  trees,  the  fruit  of 
which  is  preferable  to  thofe  of  Malta, 
and  of  Portugal.  The  Muche  Muche^  of 
the  apricot  kind,  and  of  the  fize  of  the 
Mirabell  plumb,  but  more  delicious 
than  the  bed  fruits  of  the  fame  kind, 
feems  to  be  peculiar  to  the  foil  of  Can- 
dia,  which  produces  the  mod  valuable 
plants. 

This  ifland,  long  held  by  the  Veneti- 
ans, conquered  from  that  Republic    by 

Sultan 


ao8  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

Sultan  Soliman,  who  fuccelTively  drip- 
ped her  of  her  principal  pofTefiions,  pre- 
ferves  thofc  fortreflcs  which  were  unable 
to  defend  it,  and  which  flill,  at  this  day, 
fcrve  only  as  places  of  refuge  for  the 
opprefibrs,  without  being  able  to  refifl: 
the  feebleft  foreign  attack.  It  is  in  the 
defiles,  and  amongft  the  barren  nnoun- 
tains,  therefore,  that  the  inhabitants, 
to  preferve  their  plunder,  contend,  fuG- 
cefsfully,  for  an  independence  never 
enjoyed  by  the  cultivacor. 

The  three   towns  of  Candia,   Canea, 
and  Retimo,    are  the  feat  of    govern- 
ment of  the  three  Paclialicks,  into  which 
the  Ottoman   governnrient   has   divided 
this  ifland.    The  firft  commands  the  two 
others,    under  the  title  of  Serafkier,,  and 
all  the  three  ftrive  who  (hall  the  moil  har- 
rafs  this  unhappy  country.    The  Turkifh 
foldiery,  with  whom  the  Candiot  Greeks 
are  conneded    by   frequent   marriages, 
after  the  manner  o( KapinX,  l^ave  often  put 
a  ftop  to  thefe  extortions  by  revolting  a- 
crainft  the  dignified  extortioners}  but  thefc 
fame  Greeks  almoft  always  avail   them- 
fclves  of  their  kindred  with  the  JanilTarics, 

to 
X  I  have  given  an  explanation  of  this  fort  of  mar- 
riage in  the  firft  part  of  thefe  Memoirs. 


BARON    DE     TOTT.  209 

to  become  in  ther^  turn  fubordinate, 
and  more  dangerous  perfecutors  of  their 
neighbours,  as  they  never  fail  to  efcape 
with  impunity. 

Whilll  this  compofition  of  oppreflioa 
and  anarchy  maintains  diforder  on  all 
the  northern  coaft,  a  fociety  of  robbers, 
inhabitants  of  the  mountains,  preferves 
order  among  (I  its  members, — defends 
itfelf  againd  all  opprefTion,  and  covers 
the  fea  with  pirates.  This  fort  of  Re- 
public had  for  allies,  the  Maniots,  their 
neighbours;  they  furnifh  each  other  with 
mutual  fuccours;  and  the  weaknefs  of 
the  Turks  leaves  humanity  to  groan  un- 
der the  depredation  of  this  banditti. 

The  height  of  the  mountains,  which 
extend  the  length  of  Candia,  the  fleri- 
lity  of  fome,  and  the  nature  of  the  ve- 
getables which  cover  the  others,  are 
amongfl:  the  lead  ftriking  marks  of  the 
minerals  they  contain.  Every  objedl 
teftifies  alike,  extinguiflied  volcanos; 
many  of  the  mountains  have  their  cra- 
ters, and  I  found  near  Cape  Solomon*, 

a  fmali 

*  This  isfituated  at  the  eafternmoft  point  of  the 
ifland,  and  forms,  with  Cape  Sidera,  the    ifland 

of 


210  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

a  fmall   ifland   of  v/hite   marble,    partly 
covered  by  a  bed  of  lava. 

After  our  departure  from  the  Canea, 
the   frigate  anchored   under  this   ifland, 
from  whence  v/e  failed  in  the  begjinninfj; 
of    June    for   Alexandria.     The   winds 
which   at  that    fcafon   are  trade  winds, 
from  wefl:  and   north,  without  ever  raif- 
ing  the  fea,  enable  the   mariner  to  cal- 
culate the   moment    of    his   arrival   in 
Egypt.     In  the  courfe  of  this  navigati- 
on   I  obferved,    that  a    vapour   carried 
before  us   by  the   wind,  whijh   refilled 
the  attradlion   of  the  fun,   and   became 
thicker  every  day,  did  not  form  itfelf  into 
watery  clouds  until  we   approached  the 
coafl:  of  Egypt,  which  was  announced  to 
us   by  Pompey's  Piikr,   befofe  we   dif- 
covered  the  land.     We  foon  perceived, 
however,  the    Tower  of    Pharos ;    and 

after 


ofMorenna,  and  five  fmaller  iflands,  the  anchor- 
age of  Paleo  Caftro  ;  in  Greek,  Old  Caftle. 
During  the  war  before  the  laft,  an  Englifh  priva- 
teer, which  had  taken  poiTeflion  of  this  ftation,  had 
placed  Gentries,  who  gave  fignals  when  our  vefTels 
appeared,  to  the  fouthward  and  northward,  very 
much  harraffed  our  trade. 


BARON     D£    TOTT.  211 

after  doubling  the  Diamond  §,  the  frigate 
anchored  in  the  new  harbour  of  Alexan- 
dria. I  difpatchcd  the  fame  day  an  ex- 
prefs  to  the  Conful  at  Cairo,  to  acquaint 
him  with  my  arrivalj  and  to  demand 
from  the  government  the  neceffary  afTifl:- 
ance  to  mount  ihe  Nile,  up  to  the  ca- 
pital. The  V^ice-Confui  of  Cairo,  ac- 
companied by  four  merchants,  and  aa 
Aga  of  the  Mainalukes,  arrived  the  loth 
of  June,  in  the  morning,  at  Rofetta, 
where  they  left  the  boats  which  brought 
them,  and  which  were  fent  by  the  Chek 
Elbelet,  to  convey  me  to  Cairo.  The 
mifunderftanding  which  was  juft  begin- 
ning to  break  out  between  the  Beys  t> 

and, 

§  A  rock  To  called,  at  half  a  cab!e*s  dlflance 
from  the  point  of  the  land  on  which  the  Pharos  is 
built,  and  which  feparates  the  two  harbours  of 
Alexandria. 

f  The  twenty-four  provinces  into  which  Egypt 
is  divided,  are  governed  by  as  many  Beys,  the 
chief  of  whom  commands  particularly  at  Cairo, 
with  the  title  of  Chek  Elbelet,  Prince  of  the 
Country;  the  whole  four  and  twenty  form  the 
Divan,  where  a  Pacha  with  three  tails  prefides  in 
the  name  of  the  Grand  Signior.  The  reader  will 
find  in  the  following  detail,  a  pidure  of  this  ty- 
rannical government,  in  its  origin,  become  ftill 
more  monilrous  fince,  as  it  has  become  more 
feeble. 


212  M  EMOIRS    OF    THE 

and,  above  all,  the  departure  of  Mu- 
rad;]:,  who  with  fome  troops,  had  juft 
quitted  the  capital,  under  the  pretence 
of  reducing  the  Arabs  of  Charkia,  but 
really  with  the  intention  of  opprefling 
Egypt,  rendered  this  precaution  necef- 
fary  for  my  fafety.  We  fet  out  for  Ro- 
fetta  on  the  evening  of  the  I2th,  to  avoid 
the  great  heat,  during  our  journey  of 
twelve  leagues.  Our  little  caravan, 
mounted  on  mules,  confided  of  thirty 
perfons,  and  we  ftopped  half  way  at 
Maadia.  This  refting  place  for  travel- 
lers, is  built  on  a  foil  formerly  culti- 
vated, but  long  fince  abandoned  to  the 
overflowings  of  the  fea,  to  the  barren- 
nefs  occafioned  by  thefe  inundations, 
and  the  depredations  of  the  Arabs.  We 
left  this  place  after  a  few  hours  repofe, 
and  difcovered  at  break  of  day  the  tops 
of  the  palm-trees,  and  of  the  Minarets 
of  Rofetta.  After  pafling  this  place, 
and  reaching  the  banks  of  the  Nile,  on 
which  it  is  fituated,  we  enjoyed  the 
aftonifhing  profped  which  the  Delta 
prefents  from  tlie  oppofite  fhore. 

I  em- 
l  One  of  the   twenty-four   governors,   and  he, 
who   at  that  time,   appeared    to  have  the  prepon- 
derance. 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  213 

I  embarked  that  evening  in   the  fe- 
lucca belonging   to    the  Chek  Elbelet, 
with  the  perfons  who  accompanied  me. 
This    veflfel,    whofe    ftern   was   covered 
with  a  great  tilt,  contained  a  bed-cham- 
ber, and  a  hall   furnilhed  with  fophas. 
Another    boat,   which   attended   us   for 
the  kitchen,  and  the  fervants,  lay  along- 
fide  of  us   during   meal-time  j  and  by 
means  of  the   winds,    which    repel  the 
waters  of  the  Nile,   we  mounted   that 
river,    under   fail    to    Cairo,   where   we 
arrived  the  third  day,    in  the  evening. 

A  JanilTary  in  the  train  of  the  Conful, 
who  was  ftationed  as  a  centinel^  in  a 
boat  below  Boulak  J  made  us  difembark 
at  the  place  where  our  mules  were  to 
meet  us,  from  whence  we  arrived  after 
dark  at  the  Conful's. 

Ifed  Pacha,  the  Grand  Signior's  for- 
mer favourite,  of  whom  I  have  already 
fpoken,  was  then  Pacha  of  Cairo : — 
Apprized  of  my  arrival,  he  fent  to  pay 
me  his  compliments  the  next  day,  and 
the  Chek  Elbelet  ihowed  me  the  fame 

politenefs, 

X  A  town  lying  on  the  Nile,  which  fefves  as  a 
landing-place  for  the  capital,  and  may  be  looked 
upon  4s  one  of  its  fuburbs. 


214  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

politenefs,  with  a  requeft  to  come  to 
fee  him  as  foon  as  pofiible.  I  did  not, 
at  firft,  fee  into  the  nnotivc  of  this  ear- 
neftnefs,  but  returned  him  for  anfwer, 
''  That  aware  as  I  was  of  his  influence 
in  Egypt,  I  dill  thought  it  my  duty  to 
acknowledge,  at  leall  in  appearance, 
the  Grand  Signior's  authority  in  the 
perfon  of  his  Pacha."  The  Bey  who 
commanded,  gave  orders  to  his  Grand 
Equerry,  and  the  officers  of  the  police, 
to  haftcn  the  preparatives  for  my  vifit  to 
the  Governor. 

The  Conful  had  informed  me  on  land- 
ing, that  the  Chek  Elbelet,  hearing  of 
my  approach,  and  prefuming  that  I 
would  difembark  by  daylight,  had  dif- 
pofed  a  great  number  of  officers  and 
Suraichis  to  prepare  a  public  entry  for 
me,  fo  much  the  more  diflinguifhed,  as 
that  notwithftanding  the  right  of  being 
mounted  on  horfcback  peculiarly  appro- 
priated to  the  Beys  and  the  Grandees  of 
the  empire,  feven  horfes  were  prepared 
to  mount  the  perfons  who  accompanied 
me.  The  care  I  took  to  arrive  late, 
only  delayed  this  ceremonial,  which  I. 
was  obliged  to  fufFer,   until   my  arrival 

.     at 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  0.1  C 

at  the  caftle  of  Cairo,  where  the  Pacha, 
who  reprefents  the  perfon  of  his  Sove- 
reign, is  uniformly  kept    a  prifoner  by 
the  Beys.     Such  was  the  curiofity  of  the 
people,  that  notwithftanding  their  fear 
of  the    two   ranks    of    Suratchis,     who 
preceded  me,  the  people  crouded  to  fee 
the  procelTion  j  and  the  blows  beftowed 
wantonly  on    them  by  the  foldiery,    by 
way  of  amufement,  did  not  prevent  them 
from  waiting  for  my  return  at  the  gate 
of  the  caftle.     I  there  found  the  Pacha 
furrounded  by  all  the   pomp  of  the  Vi- 
firate,    and    he   received    me   with   the 
fame  ceremonies   which    are   in    ufe   at 
Conftantinoplc;     but   our  former    inti- 
macy inducing  us  to  wifli  for  a  tete-a- 
tUe^    he    fent    away    the    croud    which 
filled  the  hall   of  the   Divan  ;   and   the 
confidence  he  repofed  in  me  refpeding 
the  fermentation  then  fubfifting  amongft 
the  Beys,  (a  fure    prefage  of  a  revolu- 
tion) explained  to  me  the  anxiety  of  the 
Chek  Elbelet  to   finifh  his    ceremonial 
with  me.     He  had    not  time,  however, 
to  receive  me  3   for  I  had  fcarcely  reachr 
ed  home  in  the  fame  order  of  procefTion, 
before  the  oppofite  party,  breaking  forth 

into 


2t6  memoi  rs  of   th  e 

into  violence,  the  reigning  Beys  thought 
only  of  getting  pofTefTion  of  the  fortrefs. 
This  manoeuvre,  more  political  than 
military,  gives  to  thofe  who  can  fucceed 
in  it,  the  difpofal  of  the  Grand  Sig- 
nior*s  orders,  which  they  compel  the 
Pacha  to  ifTue  with  their  piflols  at  his 
head.  A  firman  accordingly,  very  foon 
appeared,  ordering  the  revolters  into 
banifhment;  whilft  they,  defpifing  thefe 
vain  formalities,  by  firing  at  their  ene- 
mies, compelled  them,  after  a  few  days 
popping,  which  made  more  noife  than 
it  did  execution,  to  fly  into  Upper 
Egypt. 

Some  Mamalukes  of  the  victorious 
party,  raifed  to  the  dignity  of  Beys,  re- 
placed the  fugitives  ;  and  the  govern- 
ment apparently  reftored  to  tranquillity, 
I  went  to  Gifa  to  pafs  fome  days  there, 
and  vifit  the  pyramids,  which  are  only 
four  leagues  from  it. 

The  foil  of  Egypt,  its  commerce,  and 
government,  and  its  ancient  monuments, 
which  muft  be  confidered  as  the  mofl  re- 
mote annals  of  the  world,  are  objeds  re- 
fpedlively  too  interefting  to  be  confound- 
ed with  the  narrative  of  my  voyage  j  and 

1  (hall 


BAR0N     D  E    TOTT.  2iy 

I  fliall  referve  thefe  particulars   to  place 
them  in  one  diltind  point  of  view. 

The  Arabs,  who  were  to  condu6t  us  to 
the  pyramids,  made  us  fet  out  at  mid- 
night, and  we  arrived  at  thefe  enormous 
mafTes  of  (lone  at  day-break.  The  firfl 
thing  the.perfons  who  accompanied  me 
did,  was  to  penetrate  into  them  ;  but 
being  myfelf  lefs  curious  to  vifit  what  is 
fufnciently  known  by  the  plans  given  us 
by  Mr.  Maillet,  and  other  travellers,  who 
are  all  agreed,  I  availed  myfelf  of  rhe 
little  time  I  had  to  make  my  obfervati- 
ons,  in  fuch  refearches  as  appeared  to 
me  to  have  been  hitherto  negledled. 

In  approaching  the  Sphynx,  which  I 
fhall  fpeak  of  in  another  place,  the  Arabs 
made  me  remark  an  opening,  made  by 
one  of  the  Beys  of  Egypt,  to  clear  it  from 
the  fand  under  which  it  was  buried  to  a 
certain  depth,  adding,  that  the  impiety 
of  fuch  a  work  as  penetrating  into  the 
afylum  of  the  dead,  foon  met  with  its 
punidiment,  and  that  this  Bey  loft  his 
life  in  the  la  ft  revolution.  Thefe  very 
Arabs,  however,  who  pretend  to  be  fo 
fcrupulbus,  made  a  daily  traffic  of  the 
mummies,  and  were  in  very  good 
Vol.  111.  K  health/ 


ai^  MEMOIRS   OF    THE 

health ;  but  this  cnterprife  of  the  Bey 
would  probably  have  hurt  their  trade, 
and  every  trader  afpires  at  a  monopoly. 

On  my  return  to  Gifa,  where  I  had  al- 
ready employed  myfelf  in  making  draw- 
ings of  the  Ifle  of  Rhoda,  of  the  Nilo- 
meter^  and  of  Old  Cairo,  fituated 
oppofite,  I  accepted  of  the  offer  made 
me  by  a  Coptic  merchant,  of  his  houfe, 
on  the  oppofue  fhore,  from  whence  I 
might  take  a  drawing  of  Gifa  and  the 
Pyramids.  Whilfl:  I  was  thus  employed, 
a  group  of  horfcmen  pafs  full  gallop  un* 
der  our  windows,  followed  by  other  bo- 
dies of  cavalry,  piflol-iliot  are  heard  on 
€very  fide;  the  tumult  incrcafes, — the 
mafter  of  the  houfe  barricadoes  his  door, 
•—and  we  foon  heard  from  the  Janiflary 
^'ho  accompanied  us,  that  the  flames  of 
the  revolution,  which  had  lain  hid  for 
fome  days,  had  broke  foith  that  morn- 
ing by  the  afTaflination  of  three  Beys, 
and  that  a  fourth,  to  avoid  the  fame  fate, 
was  flying  with  the  remains  of  his  party, 
to  join  his  adherents  in  Upper  Egypt, 
where  the  victorious  party  were  much  in- 
terefted  to  prevent  their  jundtion.  We 
faw  at  the  fame  time  a  large  armed  feluc- 
ca 


BARON      DE    TOTT.  2I9 

ca  take  her  flation  in  the  middle   of  the 
Nile,  and   interrupt   the  navigation,    to 
cut  off  the   retreat  of  the  fugitives   into 
I^ybia,    fo    to  efcape   the    profcription. 
Being  hitherto  a  (tranger  to  the  caufe  of 
this  quarrel,  Ifinifhed  my  drawing,   and 
the  tumult  appearing  to  be  calmed,   I 
went  on  board,  to   return  to  Gifa,    not 
chinking  of  any   obftaclej    but  fcarcely 
had  our  boatmen  given  a  few  ftrokes  with 
their  oars,  when   about    twenty   Mama- 
iukes  on   horfeback  arriving  full   fpeed, 
prefent  their  pieces  at  us,  and  threaten  to 
fire  on  us,  unlefs  we  return   inflantly  to 
fhore,  which  accordingly  we  did.     We 
were  then  informed  that  one  of  the  Beys 
was  at  Old   Cairo,  for    the  purpofe  of 
flopping   the  palTage  of  the  Nilcj  I  in 
vain  objedled  that  this   order  could  not 
affedl  me,   and  as  I  could  receive  no  o* 
theranfwer  from  thefe  men  than  the  end 
of  the  carbines,  1  fent  a  merchant  who 
was  with  me,   to  enter  into  a  dired  dif- 
cuffion  of  this  matter  with  the  Bey,   who 
they  told  us  was  fitting  at  the  corner  of 
a  flreet  at  a  fmall  diftance  from  us.     He 
appeared   vt^ry  much  aftonilhed  at  hear- 
ing that  I   was   at  Cairo;  and   when  he 
K  2  knew 


■2Z.Q 

MEMOIRS    OF     THB 

knew  that  I  was  come  there  to  draw,  he 
very  fenjtbly  objedled  to  the  improper  mo- 
ment I  had  taken  ;  but  my  ambaiTador  re- 
plying with  as  much  propriety  at  lead, 
that  it  was  impoilible  for  me  to  forefee 
that  they  would  think  proper  to  cut  each 
Others  throats  that  morning  ;  he  at  length 
obtained,  with  fome  apologies  for  what 
had  pafled,  the  permifllon  to  continue 
my  journey.  During  this  interval,  one 
of  the  Prince's  officers  ftole  our  pipes, 
and  infifled  alfo  on  embarking  with  us, 
under  the  pretence  of  guarding  us 
againft  infults,  but  really  with  the  in- 
tention of  extorting  money  for  this  pre- 
tended fervice;  on  my  arrival  at  Gifa,  I 
immediately  prepared  for  my  return  to 
Alexandria. 

The  Nile,  which  I  had  obferved  tp 
fwell,  was  got  to  the  height,  required 
for  the  opening  of  Trajan's  canal.  The 
public  criers  appointed  to  announce  to 
the  people  the  daily  increafe  of  the  river, 
had  juft  proclaimed  the  feait  of  the  Jr- 
roujjeey  (the  feaft  of  the  new  bridge)  ; 
but  notv/ithftanding  the  preparations  for 
it,  and  the  meafures  taken  to  purfue  the 
fugitives,  1  obtained  from  the  Chek   El- 

belet 


BARO  N     DE      TOTT.  221 

belet  the  means  of  returning  to  Alexaa- 
dria,  and  I  re-imbarked  on  board  the 
fame  boats  which  had  brought  me,  to 
refume  a  navigation  become  more  agree- 
able, from  the  elevation  of  the  water, 
which  now  permitted  us  to  behold  the 
mod  populous,  as  well  as  the  richeil: 
country  in  the  univerfe. 
Eagerly  defirous  of  becoming  acquainted 
with  every  particular  of  fo  interefting  an 
afTemblage,  I  had  carefully  colleded 
every  thing  which  might  throw  a  light 
on  the  government,  population,  man- 
ners, and  commerce  of  the  country,  and 
their  neceffary  connexions  with  each 
other. — The  gaiety  of  the  people  on  the 
borders  of  the  Nile,  infpired  me  v/ith 
the  defire  of  going  amongft  them;  but 
the  fight  of  the  Mamalukes  alone,  who 
wanted  to  go  on  fhore  with  me,  v^^ould 
have  foon  put  the'm  to  flight,  had  I  not 
taken  the  precaution  of  making  them 
remain  on  board,  and  of  being  accom- 
panied only  by  Europeans.  1  have  fre- 
quently enjoyed  the  pkafure  of  colled- 
ing  the  inhabitants  ot  the  villages  on  the 
banks  of  the  river,  and  of  confirming 
from  them  the  accuracy  of  the  ideas  I 
K  3     '  hvA 


222  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

had  entertained,  a  pidlure  of  which  I  am 
now  going  to  prelent. 

Egypt,  fuuacedin  the  eaftern  angle  of 
Africa,  extends  from  the  Mediterranean 
to  Abyfiinia,  connprehending  in  fpace, 
from  the  31(1  to  the  23d  degree  of  lati- 
tude, from  the  town  of  Suenna,  near  the 
tropic,  below  the  catarads  of  the  Nile. 

This  river,  whofe  fources  are  not  well 
known  *,  after  receiving  all  the  rivers 
with  which  Abyffinia,  and  Ethiopia  are 
abundantly  watered,  defcends  into  Egypr^ 

which 

*  A  traveller  of  the  name  of  Bruce  pretends,  I 
am  to]d,  to  have  difcovered  them,—  I  faw  at  Cairo 
the  fervant  he  took  with  him  ;  the  guide  who  con- 
duded  him  ;  the  companion  of  his  journey.  I  tho- 
roughly afcertained  the  fadt,  that  he  had  no  know- 
ledge whatever  of  this  d'fcovcry  ;  in  anfwer  to  which 
it  can  only  be  faid,  that  fo  learned  a  man  as  Mr. 
iJruce  was  not  obliged  to  give  an  account  of 
his  obfervaiions  to  his  valet.  The  pride  of  cele- 
brity is  loft  in  a  defert  ;  the  diftindlion  of  mailer 
and  fervant  difappear  before  the  wants  which  fur- 
round  them,  mutually  anxious,  and  compelled  as 
they  mull  be,  to  communicate  together,  and  to 
afford  each  other  mutual  fuccours,  the  ftrongefl; 
alone  mull  have  the  fupcriority  over  his  compani- 
ons ;  and  the  valet  I  am  fpeaking  of,  born  in  the 
country,  had  inconteftably  the  beft  right  of  war- 
ranting-, even  to  Mr.  Btuce  himfelf,  a  difcovery 
merely  topographical. 


BARON     DETOTT.  2  2^^ 

which  it  traverfes  from  South  to  North, 
until  within  four  leagues  below  Cairo, 
where,  dividing  itfelf  into  two  branches, 
it  forms  the  ifland  fo  celebrated,  and  fo 
well  known  by  the  name  of  the  Delta. 
The  plains  on  each  fide  of  the  Nile, 
bounded  by  higher  lands,  are  alone  fit 
for  cultivation  as  far  as  the  point  of  this 
ifland,  called  by  the  Egyptians^  in  Ara- 
bic, Balnei-Bacara,  (The  Cow's  Beliy)  ; 
the  river  not  being  able  to  convey  any 
further  thofe  treafures  with  which  its 
waters  are  known  to  cover  the  furface  of 
the  earth,  by  its  inundations. 

The  mountains  which  run  along  the 
Nile,  at  four  leagues  diftance,  oppofite 
Cairo,  are  only  a  bed  of  rocks  of  forty 
or  fifty  feet  high,  which  borders  the 
plains  of  Lybia.  This  eminence  follows 
the  courfe  of  ihe  Nile  at  a  greater  or  lefs 
diflance,  and  appears  to  be  folely  dcfigned 
by  Nature,  to  reftrain  the  general  inun- 
dation. The  fide  of  Arabia,  more  hilly, 
belongs  to  the  lands  which  border  on  the 
Red  Sea,  and  already  aiTumes  the  charac- 
ter of  folidity,  generally  to  be  obferved 
on  the  coafts  of  the  lea.  Below  Cairo, 
on  a  level  with  the  fummit  of  the  angle 
K  4  of 


2-24  MEMOIRS     OF    THE 

of  the  Delta,  the  bed  of  rocks  of  Lybia, 
and  the  hills  of  Arabiaj  form  an  opening, 
and  feparate  towards  the  Eaft  and  Weft^ 
parallel  :  with  the  M-edicerraneian.,  This 
great  extent  of  country,  ftretching  from 
the  kingdom  of  Barca,  as  far  as  Gaza, 
is  overflowed,  or  liable  to  be  overflowed,, 
by  this  river.  This  periodical  inundati- 
on, in  a  country  where  it  fcldom  or  ne- 
ver rains,  and  which,  from  the  burning 
heat  of  the  fun,  and  the  nature  of  the 
foil  itfelf,  feems  defined  to  an  eternal 
fterility  and  drynefs^  is,  without  doubt, 
one  of  the  moft  furprifing  phenomena  of 
nature.  By  obferving  the  mechanifm 
by  which  it  is  produced,  one  may  pe-rr 
ceive  that  even  Europe  contributes  to  it, 
by  pouring  dov^^n  on  Abyflinia  and  Ethi- 
opia, thcfc  exhalations  with  which  our 
climates  abound.  The  trade  wind^s, 
which  blow  regularly  from  weftand  north, 
in  the  months  of  June,  July,  and  Auguil, 
continually  prefs  forward  the  thick  clouds, 
which  without  depriving  Egypt  of  the 
fun,  convey  thofe  vapours  into  AbyfTi' 
nia  and  Ethiopia,  and  are  there  rarefied, 
and  enter  by  a  hundred  different  chan- 
nels into   the  Nile,  which  difFufes  them, 

with 


BARON    DE    TOT T.  2'2^ 

with  the  limy  mud,  collected  by  the  wa- 
ters, in  their  courfe,  throughout  Egypt. 
It  is  remarked  that  this'  water  became 
muddy  from  the  crumbling  of  the  clayey 
foil  through  v/hich  it  pafles,  appears  in 
drinking  it,  as  light  and  free  from  dirt, 
as  the  cleaneft  fpring  water  :  the  Egyp- 
tians believe  that  of  the  Nile  to  be  of  a 
flourifhing  quality,  and  fay,  that  they 
who  have  once  drank  out  of  their  river, 
can  never  quit  its  banks. 

The  worfliip  beflowed  by  the  ancient 
Egyptians,  on  the  Nile,  juftified  by  the 
benefits  they  enjoyed  from  it,  is  in  fome 
meafure  preferved  by  the  Mahometans;, 
they  give  this  river  the  title  of  very  holy^ 
and  honour  its  fwelling  with  all  the  cere- 
monies confecrated  to  it  by  Heathen  an- 
tiquity. 

This  fwelling  is  obferved  at  theNilo- 
meter,  fituated  on  the  fouthern  point  of 
the  ifle  of  Rhoda,  oppofite  to  Old  Cairo. 
Public  criers,  difperfed  through  every 
quarter  of  the  capital,  announce  daily  to 
the  people  the  increafe  of  the  Nile,  un- 
til it  reaches  the  proper  height  for  open- 
ing the  canal  which  conveys  its  waters 
into  the  middle  of  the  town,  and  from 
K  5  thence 


226  M  ZMOmS    OF    THE 

thence  into  ciil:erns.  This  moinent  is 
determined  by  a  certain  flandard,  which 
cannot  be  verified  with  precifion  on  ac- 
count of  the  fuperftition,  which  will  not 
permit  the  eye  of  the  curious  to  approach 
the  graduated  pillar,  placed  in  the  centre 
of  the  bafon  of  the  Nilometer.  The  cry 
ofOiif  Jl/ab,  God  has  kept  his  promife, 
proclaims  the  opening  of  the  canal. 
Children,  carrying  flags  of  different  co- 
lours, accompany  the  crier,  and  fpread 
a  general  joy,  arifing  from  the  certainty 
of  abundance. 

Sultan  Selim,  after  conquering  Egypt, 
gave  laws  to  it,  eftablifhed  a  new  form- 
of  sovernment,  and  determined  that  this 
kingdom,  now  a  province  of  his  vaft  em- 
pire, ftiould  pay  no  tribute,  except  in 
thofe  years  when  the  Nile  fhould  be  fuf- 
ficiently  fwelled  for  the  opening  of  this 
canal.  It  is  only  then,  in  fad,  that  the 
overflowing  is  fufficient  for  the  neceffary 
culture}  and  this  happens  every  year: 
but  this  increafe  is  not  that  which  pro- 
duces the  greatell  plenty.  For  this  ef- 
fect the  waters  mud  reach  the  foot  of  the 
mountains  j  it  is  then  only  that  the  cry  is 
— Minsl-dgsbel^  il-el-edghel,  (from    one 

mountain 


BARON    DE    TOT  T,  227 

mountain  to  the  other.)  It  was,  doubt- 
lefs,  from  the  precaution  of  the  ancient 
fovereigns  of  Egypt  to  guard  againft  the 
confequences  of  a  too  partial  inundation, 
arifing  from  the  drynefs  of  fome  feafons, 
thatthey  cut  that  infinite  number  of  ca- 
nals, of  which  the  principal  ones  arc  (lili 
kept  in  repair;  but  the  greateft  numbeii 
of  them  have  been  abandoned,  and, 
Gonfequently,  more  than  one  half  of 
Egypt  left  without  cultivation.  The  ca- 
nals, the  moflr  attended  to  by  the  go- 
vernment, are  thofe  which  convey  the 
water  to  Cairo,  into  the  province  of 
Fayoume,  and  to  Alexandria.  An  offi- 
cer, placed  as  a  guard  to  this  lad,  takes 
care  to  prevent  the  Arabs  of  Ba6tria, 
who  enjoy  the  furplus  ot'  the  waters  of 
this  canal,  from  turning  it  off  before 
Alexandria  is  fuppiied  *,  or  from  open- 
ing it  before  the  dated  time,  which  would 
prevent  the  fvvelling  of  the  Nile.  That 
which  conveys  the  water  into  Fayoume, 
is  alfo  looked  after,  and   mull    not   be 

opened: 

»  This  event  adually  happened  in  1-784,  when  the 
water  was  turned  off  by  one  of  the  Beys  to  diitrefs 
his  adverfaries,  by  which  Alexandria  was  on  the 
pointof  being  totally  dererted. 


2C8  MEMOIR  S    OF    THE 

Opened  before  that  of  Cairo,  which  is 
called  the  canal  of  Trajan. 

The  ancient  Egyptians  had  the  barba- 
rous cuflom  offacrificing  a  young  girl 
to  the  Nile,  when  it  fwelled  to  the 
proper  height  for  opening  the  canal  ; 
which  facrifice  they  called  the  Arrou/fee^ 
the  new  bride.  This  name,  and  the  ce- 
remonies of  this  bloody  feaft:  arc  flill  pre- 
ferved,  but  humanized  by  the  Caliph 
Omar,  who  fubftituted  for  the  vidim,  a 
column  of  earth,  in  the  form  of  a  wo- 
man, which  is  thrown  into  the  Nile.. 
The  grandees  of  Cairo  appear  at  this 
ceremony  in  gondolas  richly  decorated, 
which  is  alfo  followed  by  entertainments 
and  fireworks. 

A  number  of  other  canals,  taken  care 
of  only  by  the  inhabitants  who  enjoy  the 
benefit  of  them,  are  connecled  with  the 
arm  of  the  Nile  which  goes  to  Damietta;, 
and  fertilize  Charkia,  This  province, 
fituated  in  the  iilhmus  of  Suez,  is  the 
mod  confiderable  one  of  Egypt,  as  well 
as  the  moft  fufceptible  of  a  highly  im- 
proved cultivation.  The  plains  of  Ga- 
za, which  are  beyond  this  province,  and 
are  occupied  by  the  Arabs,   would  be  as 

fertile. 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  229 

fertile,  did  not  the  fpirit  of  devaflation 
deftroy  every  thing,   even  to  the  fponta- 
neous  productions  of  the  earth.     Many 
other   canals  are  cut  through  the  Delta, 
feveral  of  which  are  navigable  ;    and  that 
of  Manouf  joins  the  two  arms  of  the  Nile 
below  the  fummit  of  the  angle,  which  is 
called    the  Cow's    Belly.      This    canal 
comes  from  Nadir,  and  not  from  Gue- 
feid,     where  D'Anvillc   has   placed   its 
opening  ;    it  pafTes  through  the  province 
of  Manoufia,    the   cultivation  of  which 
can   only   be    compared  with    the  moft 
beautiful  kitchen  garden.     The  map  of 
this    celebrated   geographer    appears  to 
me,  in  other  rcfpeds,  as  exadl  as  it  was 
poflible  to  make  it,   in    a  country  where 
the  government  could  not   allow  the  ba- 
fes  to   be   determined,    and  the  face  of 
which    is   fo  even  as  not  to  prefent  any 
point  from  v/hence  obfervations  can  be 
taken. 

The  country  of  Egypt  is  in  fadllblow, 
that  were  it  not  for  a  fevy  little  hillocks 
formed  by  the  ruins  of  ancient  Alexan- 
dria, and  the  prodigious  height  of  Pom- 
pey's  Pillar,  the  land  would  not  be  dif- 
tinguilhable.  The  whole  coaft  is  hori- 
zon ; 


220  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

zon  ',  and  it  is  with  difficulty  one  per- 
ceives, from  three  leagues  ofF  at  Tea, 
fame  palm  trees,  which  feem  to  grow 
out  of  the  water.  It  is  not  to  the  fiat- 
nefs  of  the  country  alone,  however,  that 
Egpt  is  indebted  for  its  periodical  inun- 
dation. 

We  have  already  feen  that  the  trade 
winds,  from  Weft  and  North,  by  pu- 
fhing  the  clouds  of  Europe  on  Abyffi- 
nia,  blow  in  the  dire6tion  of  the  Nile, 
in  which  mechanifm  of  Nature  it  muft  be 
remarked,  that  the  wind,  by  driv- 
ing back  the  waters  of  the  river,  be- 
comes the  principal  caufe  of  its  over- 
flowing. Having  reached  its  higheft 
degree  towards  the  middle  of  Septem- 
ber, the  winds  then  becoming  trade 
winds  from  the  Southward,  concur  wrth 
the  natural  defcent  of  the  Nile,  to  acce- 
lerate the  draining  of  the  water,  at  the 
fame  time  that  they  colled  the  fupcrflu- 
au5  clouds,  now  of  no  further  ufe,  over 
Abylltnia  and  Ethiopia,  and  carry  them, 
for  the  fame  beneficial  purpofe  of  a  pe- 
riodical inundation,  towards  the  fources 
of  the  Euphrates,  to  enrich  Mefopota- 
mia,  after  abundantly  watering  Egypt. 

At 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  23I 

At  this  period,  therefore,  one  fees  a 
column  of  clouds  pafs  the  Red  Sea,  to- 
wards the  ifthmus  of  Suez,  fpread  over 
Syria,  and  colled  on  Mount  Ararat  ; 
whillt  the  fame  trade  wind  blowing  iti 
the  Gulph  of  Perfia,  comprefling  the 
waters  of  the  Euphrates,  produces  in 
Mefopotannia,  by  the  fanne  means,  the 
fame  advantages  enjoyed  by  Egypt. 

This  meteorological  obfervation,  the 
particulars  of  which  I  have  carefully  at- 
tended to,  may  be  verified  every  year> 
in  a  climate,  where  the  ferenity  of  the 
heavens  cannot  admit  of  error. 

All  the  defcriptions  of  Egypt  hitherto 
agree  in  confidering  the  mud,  with 
which  the  waters  of  the  Nile  are  loaded 
during  its  increafe,  and  which  are  left  on 
the  lands  they  overflow,  as  a  fattener,^ 
which  fertilizes  the  country.  In  analy- 
fing  it,  however,  no  vegetative  quality 
is  difcoverable  before  its  union  with  the 
fand,  which,  together  with  the  clay, 
compofes  the  foil  of  Egypt,  in  about  the 
fame  proportion  as  in  the  earthen  manu- 
factures 5  nor  is  this  mud  any  other  than 
the  produce  of  the  crumbling  of  the  two 
banks  of  the  Ni!e,  when  it  carries  off  the 

clayey 


a^i  MEMOIRS     OF     THE 

clayey  part.  Its  fpecific  lightnefs,  join- 
ed to  the  motion  of  the  waters,  keeps  its 
particles  fufpended,  whilft  the  fand  fet- 
tles, and  forms  new  iflands  for  the  in- 
habitants, after  the  draining  of  the  wa- 
ters. The  cultivator  takes  immediate 
pofleflion  of  them,  his  induftry  fupplying 
the  barrennefs  of  the  fand,  with  which 
he  mixes  pigeons  dung,  then  fows  his 
water  melons,  and  enjoys  a  plentiful 
crop,  before  the  fucceeding  inundation 
deftroys  thefe  iflands  to  produce  others. 

The  whirlpools  which  occafion  thefe 
variations,  neceflarily  arife  from  the 
double  effort,  of  the  defcent  of  the  wa- 
ters, and  the  wind  which  counteracts 
them;  but  the  Nile,  notwithflanding 
this  agitation,  is  fo  eafy  to  be  kept  with- 
in its  bounds,  that  many  fields,  fituated 
below  the  furface  of  the  water,  in  its  in- 
creafe,  arepreferved  from  fuffering  from 
the  inundation,  by  means  only  of  a  dam 
of  eight  or  ten  inches  thicknefs  in  moid 
ground. 

This  method,  which  cofbs  the  hufband- 
man  but  little  labour,  is  made  ufe  of  to 
prelerve  the  Delta,  when  it  is  threatened 
by   an    inundation.     This  illand,  which 

pro- 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  13^ 

produces  annually  three  crops,  is  con- 
Itantly  watered  by  machines  built  on  the 
Nile,  and  on  the  canals  which  interfe^l 
it,  but  it  is  very  feldom  in  danger  of  be- 
ing drowned;  and  this  rich  part  of 
Egypt,  which  is  dole  to  the  fea,  would, 
feel  the  effeds  of  the  fwelling  dill  lefs, 
did  not  the  trade* winds  accumulate  the 
waters  of  the  Mediterranean  towards  the 
fouth. 

It  is  important  to  obferve,  that  the 
Delta,  higher  than  the  reft  of  Egypt,  is 
l)ordcred  towards  the  fea,  by  a  foreft  of 
palm  trees,  called  the  foreft  of  Beleros, 
tiie  ground  of  which  is  far  above  the 
higheft  elevation  of  the  waters,  a  topogra- 
phical remark  of  ixfelf  fufficient  to  over- 
throw the  fyftem  of  the  formation  of  the 
Delta  by  a  fediment.  Land  which  is 
higher  than  tli^egreateft  inundations,  can 
never  owe  its  origin  to  them  ;  it  can  on- 
ly have  occafioned  the  divifion  of  the 
Nile  into  two  branches;  but  neither  this 
circumftance,  nor  the  exiftence  of  the 
aiiand  that  feparates  them,  required  (o 
much  labour ;  and  Mr.  Maillet  might, 
in  this  reiped,  have  fpared  himfelf  the  re- 
petition of  the  fyftem  of  Ephoris,  which 

was 


234  MEMOIRS    OF    Tlli 

was  not  held  in  eftimation,  even  by  his 
cotemporaries. 

The  vediges  of  the  canals  which  wa- 
tered the  eaitern  and  weftern  provinces  of 
the  Delta,  prove  that  it  was  formerly  the 
feat  of  the  richeft  cultivation  of  Egypt. 
It  nnay  alfo  be  prefumed,  from  the  extent 
of  the  ruins  of  Alexandria,  the  (lru<flure 
of  the  canal,  and  the  natural  equality  of 
the  lands  which  furround  Lake  Mareotis, 
and  which  extend  from  the  weftward, 
as  far  as  the  kingdom  of  Barca,  that  this 
country,  now  in  the  pofleflion  of  the 
Arabs,  and  aimoil  totally  uncultivated, 
was  formerly  as  rich  in  produdtions  of 
every  kind,  as  was  necefTary  for  the  fub- 
fiftence  of  Alexandria. 

One  fees,  from  the  fituation  of  the 
canal  of  Alexandria,  that  after  watering 
that  town,  and  aiTifting  its  commerce,  ic 
mud  have  fertilized  the  upper  part  of 
thofe  lands,  fituated  on  the  left  bank  of 
the  Nile,  oppofite  the  Delta;  whilft  a 
dyke,  thrown  up  at  Bequers  "*,  keeping 
off  the  fea,  added  a  large  territory  to 
Egypt,  the  cultivation  of  which  reach- 
ed 

♦  A  fmall  harbour,  fituated  between   Alexan- 
dria and  Rofetta. 


BARON    DE    TOTT.  235 

ed  to  the  fuburbs  of  that  immenfe  city, 
reduced  at  prefent  to  a  fmall  town  built 
on  the  new  illhinus,  formed  between  the 
two  ports,  and  which  joins  the  Ifle  of 
Pharos  to  the  Continent.  This  capital  of 
the  commerce  of  the  univerfe,  long  fince 
condemned  to  ferve  only  is  a  ftaple  for 
the  confumption  of  Egypt,  feems  to  have 
baniflied  itfelf  from  its  own  walls;  but 
it  is  impoffible  to  throw  one's  eyes  on  the 
extent  and  magnificence  of  its  ruins, 
without  feeling,  that  the  greateft  powers 
have  only  a  value  proportionate  to  the 
age  which  employs  them,  and  the  genius 
of  the  men  entruded  with  their  manage- 
ment. 

Egypt,  fo  fituated  as  to  combine  the 
commerce  of  Europe,  Africa,  and  the 
Eail  Indies,  was  in  want  of  a  port, 
which  (houid  at  once  be  fpacious  and 
eafy  of  approach  ;  the  mouth  of  the  I^lile 
offered  noneof  thcfe  requifites ;  the  only 
harbour  on  that  coall  was  in  the  midft  of 
a  defert,  at  twelve  leagues  from  the 
river,  and  could  only  be  dlfcovered  by 
an  elevated  genius  ^  a  town  was  to  be 
built,  and  it  was  himfelf  who  furnilhed 
;the  plan  of  it.     To  whit  a  pitch  of  fplen- 

dor 


2^6  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

dor  did  he  not  raife  Alexandria,  in  its 
origin  ?  He  joined  it  to  the  Nile  by  a 
canal  at  once  navigable,  and  ufeful  for 
cultivation.  It  became  the  city  of  all 
nations,  the  metropolis  of  commerce. 
He  is  honoured  even  by  its  afhes,  piled 
lip  by  the  barbarity  of  ages,  and  which 
wait  only  for  fome  beneficent  hand  to 
expand  them,  and  cement  the  recon- 
ftrudion  of  the  mod  ftupendous  edifice 
hitherto  conceived  by  the  human  mind. 

The  nature  of  the  rock  which  lines 
the  coafl  of  Egypt,  proves  that  the  ifland, 
on  which  the  Pharos  is  built,  can  only 
have  been  formed  by  the  afhes  of  Alex- 
andria, and  that  the  iliallow  which  fe- 
parates  the  two  bafons,  arofe  from  the 
ruins  brought  there  by  the  fea.  This 
nev/  fliore  further  teflifies  the  truth  of 
this  obfervation,  and  the  waves  daily 
expofe  to  view  a  number  of  engraved 
ftones,  which  mud  have  belonged  to  the 
ruins  of  the  ancient  city. 

Its  ruins  teftify,  at  every  Hep,  its  an- 
cient fplendor,  and  the  form  of  its  in- 
clofure,  which  reprefents  a  Macedonian 
cloak,  feems  to  have  awed  the  very 
barbarians,  in  their  different  fackingsof 

this 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  237 

this  town,  by  recalling  the  mennory  of 
its  founder.  The  fame  walls  which  pro- 
tedled  its  induftry  and  riches,  defend, 
at  this  day,  its  ruins,  and  exhibit  a  maf- 
terpiece  of  mafonry. 

Some  hiflorians  pretend,  that  the  Sa- 
racens builc  the  prefent  walls  in  place 
of  thofe  they  had  deilroyed ;  but  if  the 
hand  of  thefe  plunderers  is  to  be  traced 
at  all,  it  is  only  in  the  repairs,  which 
areas  dcftitute  ofneatnefs  as  of  regulari- 
ty; it  is  impoflible  to  attribute  to  them 
the  condruflion  of  the  walls,  which  fe- 
parate  Alexandria  from  Necropolis ;  i% 
would  be  as  abfurd  as  giving  them  the 
honour  of  elevating  Pompey's  Pillar, 

This  monument,  the  motive  and 
founder  of  which  are  equally  unknown, 
fituated  near  the  canal,  between  Necro^ 
polis  and  the  walls  of  Alexandria,  muft 
have  belonged  to  the  fuburb,  which, 
according  to  different  authors,  join- 
ed the  Lake  Mareotis.  It  may  be  con- 
jedlured,  from  the  fragments  of  rofe 
granite,  and  above  all  from  the  ancient 
foundations  which  furround  the  column, 
that  it  flood  in  the  midft  of  the  Market- 
place. But,  without  pulliing  our  in- 
quiries 


2j8  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

quiries  beyond  the  limits  prefcribed  by 
the  obfcurity  of  time,  the  examination 
of  the  column  itfelf  fufficiently  excites 
our  admiration.  I  will  not  repeat  the 
defcription  given  of  it  by  M.  Maillet, 
and  other  travellers.  I  fhall  content 
niyfelf  with  remarking,  that  this  enor- 
mous mafs,  refting  on  a  (lone  nor  more 
than  half  the  fize  of  the  J}iloi?aUi  which 
bears  centrically  upon  it,  has  only  been 
fupported  through  fo  many  ages  by  the 
exad  adherence  of  the  two  planes,  and 
the  perfcdlion  of  their  horizontal  work- 
manfliip.  This  point  of  fupport,  which 
may  be  eadly  examined  by  a  hollow 
made  in  the  rough  ftone  work,  which 
feems  to  fupport  its  bafc,  confifts  of  a 
piece  of  granite,  funk  to  a  greater  or 
lefs  depth  into  the  calcareous  rock,  which 
forms  the  natural  foundation.  The  in- 
fpedion  of  the  hieroglyphics,  engraved 
on  that  part  of  it  which  is  laid  open  to 
view,  may  induce  a  conjefbure,  that  a 
fragment  of  an  obelifk  has  been  made 
life  of  for  the  foundation  Itone.  It  ap- 
pears more  natural,  however,  to  ima- 
gine, that  thefe  charadlcrs  point  out  the 
hiftory  of  the  column. 

The 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  239 

The  perfect  upright  I  have  juft  fpoken 
of,  leaves  no  doubt  of  the  perpendicular 
and   fucceflive  bearings  of  the  llilobate, 
the  bafe,  the  fhaft,  and  the  capital  j  but 
it  is  very  difficult  to  conceive  the/nneans 
employed  in  raifing  this  fhaft,  which  is 
one   piece  of  rofe  granite  of  more  than 
nine  feet  diameter,  of  the  Corinthian  or- 
der,  and   upwards  of  eighty   feet  high. 
This  work  can  never  have  been  efFedled 
without  the  aid  of  cranes,   and   this   ob- 
fervation  would   induce  one  to  believe 
that  the  imitation  of  Archimedes's  crow 
was  known  in  Egypt  before  we  were  ac- 
quainted with  it;   which,  in  fa6l,  is  not 
more  furprizing  than  to  find  our  joiner's 
holdfaft   and  plane   under   the   lava  of 
Mount  Vefuvius. 

This  is  not  the  only  monument,  whofe 
boldnefs  aftonifhes  the  traveller  in  Egypt. 
Cleopatra's  Needle,  not  lefs  difficult  to 
raife,  proves  that  the  arts  of  Greece 
were  not  profufely  diftributed  in  fuch 
works  throughout  Upper  Egypt.  One 
may  obferve,  even  in  the  capitals  of 
Pompey's  Pillar,  an  imitation  of  the 
leaves  of  the  acanthus,  too  clumfy  not 
to  befpeak  workmen  more  accuftomed 

to 


240  MEMOIRS    OF   THE^ 

to  move  thefe  enormous  ma(!es,-  than  to 
handle  the  chiflel  of  Phidias.     The  tool 
of  the  Egyptians  fhows  fome  degree  of 
delicacy  only  in   the  cutting  of  the  hie- 
roglyphics.    Cleopatra's  Needle  is  co- 
vered  with  them  on   its   four  fides;  iiia 
bafe,    which  is    buried   under   rubbilh, 
prevents  one  from  judging  of  its  point 
of  fupport,  but   by  examining  a  fimilar 
needle,  which  is  overthrown  and  broken 
near  the  former,  it  is  evident  that  they 
both  refted  on  four  cubes  of  brafs.     One 
may  perceive   alfo,   that  thefe  two  obe- 
lifks,  in   the  fame  line  with  two  large 
ranges  of  buildings,   at  equal  difbances, 
ferved   to  decorate  this  fpot  of  ground, 
which,  from  its  veftiges,  appears  to  have 
been  the  fituation  of  a  palace.     That  of 
Cleopatra  is  fuppofed  to  be  vifible ;   but 
1  difcovered   more  diftindlly,   in   a   ro- 
tunda,   tolerably    well    preferved,   and 
above  all  from  feveral  dungeons  which 
furround   it,  the  tribunal  ofjuftice,  and 
I  was  aflonifbed  to  remark  the  excellent 
prcfervation  of  the  plaifter  which  covers 
the  walls* 

More  certain  marks  point  out  the  prin- 
cipal place  of  Alexandria.     Several   co- 
lumns. 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  24I 

lumnSj  two  of  which  are  in  the  centre  of 
one  of  the  fides  of  the  place,  and  oppofite 
to  an  enormous  quantity  of  fallen  roofs, 
plainly  mark  the  entrance  of  the  princi- 
pal Temple,  and  leave  no  doubt  that 
they  are  ruins  of  that  of  Jupiter  Sera- 
pis.  Ifthe  fpiritofdeftrudion  was  not  inva- 
riably fluggifli  and  ignorant,  thefe  precious 
remains  would  dlfappear  more  fpeedily. 
I  have  feen  the  barbarians,  who  are  the 
depofitories  of  them,  employed  in  hack- 
ing the  trunks  of  columns  to  make  mill- 
ftones,  and  have  had  the  fatisfadlion  of 
feeing  them  lofe  their  labour,  from  their 
unfkilfulnefs.  Thefe  caufes  preferve,  it 
is  true,  the  larger  mafies  from  immedi- 
ate deftrudlion,  but  the  (tatues  fall  an  in- 
variable facrifice  to  avarice,  wherever 
they  are  difcovered  ;  but  fuch  is  the  fa- 
natifmof  the  Arabs,  that  they  never  fell 
them  to  the  Europeans,  without  muti- 
lating thefe  pretended  idols.  The  fmall 
profit  they  acquire  from  this  traffic,  not 
encouraging  their  labour,  fortunately 
prevents  them  from  beftov/ing  any  pains 
in  fearching  amongfl  the  ruins,  and 
prefervcs  this  precious  treafure  for  our 
pofterity. 
Vol,  ill.  L  The 


24^  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

The  fuburbs  of  Alexandria,  that  which 
joined  Necropolis,  and  the  other,  the 
ftreets  of  which  are  ftiU  diftinguifhable 
in  the  plain  leading  to  Rofetta,  contain, 
undoubtedly,  a  great  deal  of  riches  bu- 
ried under  their  ruins,  and  the  fite  of 
Necropolis  J  is  covered  with  little  hil- 
locks, which  induce  one  to  confider 
thefe  heaps  as  the  wreck  of  thofe  tem- 
ples and  monuments  raifed  by  the  pious 
fuperftition  of  the  ancient  Egyptians. 
I  have  vifited  the  catacombs  of  this  city 
with  attention,  (the  burying  ground  of 
Alexandria)  and  although  they  cannot 
be  compared  with  thofe  of  the  ancient 
Memphis,  which  the  Arabs  conceal  from 
the  eyes  of  the  curious,  in  order  to  en- 
fure  the  fale  of  their  mummies,  it  is 
probable  that  the  method  of  embalming 
being  the  fame,  the  form  of  thefe  cata- 
combs only  differ  in  their  proportions. 
It  is  obferved  even  that  Nature  not  hav- 
ing furnifhed  this  part  of  Egypt  v^ith  a 
ledge  of  rocks,  like  that  on  the  borders 
of  the  Nile  above  the  Delta,  the  ancient 
inhabitants  of  Alexandria  have  only  been 

able 

X  Necropolis,  City  of  the  Dead  ;   this  Greek 
word  is  compofed  of  Nf  K^or*  Death,  and  n^AJr*  City. 


BARON     DETOTT.  243 

able  to  imitate  them,  by  making  a  fort 
of  hollow  way  in  the  bed  of  live  rock 
which  they  defigned  for  the  building  of 
Necropolis.  This  excavation,  of  thirty 
or  forty  feet  wide,  two  hundred  feet 
long,  and  twenty-five  feet  deep,  is  ter- 
minated by  gentle  defcents  at  its  extre- 
mities J  the  two  fides  perpendiculiirly 
cut,  contain  feveral  large  openings  ten 
or  twelve  feet  high,  cut  horizontally 
out  of  the  rock,  and  which  form,  from 
their  different  branches,  fubterraneous 
flreets.  That  which  curiofity  has  laid 
open,  by  clearing  away  the  rubbifli  and 
fand,  which  render  the  entrance  of  the 
others  inconvenient  or  impradlicable, 
contains  no  longer  any  mummies  j  but 
the  places  they  formerly  occupied,  and 
the  order  in  which  they  were  ranged, 
are  ftill  vifible.  Holes  of  twenty  inches 
fquare,  and  fix  feet  long  in  a  horizontal 
diredion,  narrowed  at  the  end,  and  fe- 
parated  from  one  another  by  partitions, 
of  feven  or  eight  inches  thick,  Ith  in  the 
rock,  divide  the  two  walls  of  this  cavern 
into  chequer  work. 

We  may  judge   from  this  defcription, 

that  each  mummy  was  put  with   its   feet 

L  2  fore  mo  (l 


244  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

foremofl  into  the  opening  deftined  for  its 
reception,  and  that  new  ftreets  were 
opened  out  in  proportion  to  the  increafe 
of  inhabitants  at  Necropolis.  I  thought 
this  obfervation,  by  throwing  fome  light 
on  the  catacombs  of  Memphis,  nnight 
explain  the  enormity,  the  number,  as 
well  as  the  different  elevations  of  the  py- 
ramids of  Upper  and  Lower  Egypt]  and 
I  Ihall  now  examine  thofe  of  Gifa,  to 
draw  fuch  inferences  from  them,  as  ap- 
pear to  be  founded  on  probability.  I 
have  already  faid,  that  they  are  built  on 
the  bed  of  rocks,  which  extend  along  the 
edge  of  Lybia ;  two  of  thefe  pyramids 
differ  very  little  in  their  fize,  and  the 
third,  only  three  hundred  feet  high,  has 
never  been  much  attended  to  :  the  larg- 
cfl  of  them  is  fix  hundred  feet  long  on 
each  fide  of  the  fquare  of  its  bafe,  and 
of  its  height  i  and  the  curious  traveller 
may  examine  the  infide  of  this  enormous 
flrudure.  The  Conful  Maillet,  in  giv- 
ing the  defcription,  and  the  mod  exad 
plans  andfeflions  of  it,  afierts  that  this 
pyramid  has  been  violated,  but  this  An- 
gular manner  of  accounting  for  the  fup- 
pofed  deficiency  of  the  courfes  of  (tones, 

which, 


SARO  N    DE     TOTT.  245 

which,  according  to   him,    muft    have 
concealed   the   entrance  of  the  galleries 
by  which  we  penetrate  at  this  day  even  to 
the  farcophagus  in  the  centre  of  the  mo- 
nument, by  no  means  proves  the  opera- 
tion  of  any   violence.     It  appears  very 
certain,  on  the  contrary,  that  this  pyra- 
mid never  has  been  (hut;   nor  could  a- 
varice  or  curiofity  commit  any  fuch  vio- 
lation  in  fadl,  without   leaving  evident 
traces    of  the  different  attempts  which 
mud  neceflarily  have  been  made.    None 
of  the   fides  of  the  neighbouring  pyra- 
mid any  where  indicate  their  entrance  ; 
how  then  could  the  entrance  to  this  have 
•  been  firft  difcovered  ?   Why  remove  the 
lower  courfes  of  (lone,  which  formed  no 
obftacle  ?  How  happens  it  that  the  tooth- 
ing ftones  fhould  ftill  have  preferved  fo 
remarkable  a   neatnefs  in  thefinifhing? 
In  (hort,  how  can  the  has  reliefs  placed 
below  the  key  of  the  roof,   and  the  per- 
fedtion   of  the  whole  work  have  fufPered 
fo  little  by  this  violence  ?  Maillet,   how- 
ever, in  fupport  of  his  hypothefis,  enters 
into  all  the  detailsof  the  labour  he   fup- 
pofes,  and  furniflies  the  Egyptians  with 
the  moll  complicated  means  for  effedling 
L  3  \^C 


2^6  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

what  the  enormity  of  thefe  mafifes,  and 
fliil  more  the  pious  fuperftition  of  that 
people  rendered  unnecefTary  for  the  fe- 
curity  of  thefe  afylums,.  which  com- 
manded refpc(5l  from  every  circumftance. 

The  accuracy  of  this  writer  would  have 
left  nothing  to  be  faid  on  the  fubje6tof 
the  infide  of  this  monument,  had  he  been 
able  to  penetrate  into  the  perpendicular 
well  in  the  centre  of  the  pyramid,  of 
which  he  only  points  out  the  opening. 
The  different  attempts  to  defcend  into 
it,  which  have  proved  abortive,  either 
from  the  want  of  proper  means,  or  from 
the  timidity  of  the  perfons  who  have 
made  them,  ftill  leave  a  field  open  for 
conjeiftures.  It  feems  to  me,  however, 
that  as  this  v;eil  could  have  no  apparent 
objed:  of  utility,  it  ought  more  properly 
to  be  confidered  as  a  myfterious  pafTage. 
This  idea,  combined  with  the  opinions 
of  the  ancient  Egyptians,  refpeding 
death,  will  gather  more  weight  from  the 
following  obfcrvations  : 

The  mofl  interefting  remark  is  in  the 
fimilarity  between  the  upper  and  lower 
tombs.  Each  pyramid  has  its  catacombs  ; 
the  ledge  of  rock,  cut  with  a  chifel,  for 
.  •^  the 


BARON    D  E    T  O  T  T.  247 

the  length  of  fifty  toifes,  (upwards  of 
fix  hundred  feet  EngliQi)  perpendicu- 
larly with  the  top  of  the  firft  pyramid, 
and  in  a  parallel  with  its  horizontal 
front,  has  feveral  openings  in  it,  one  of 
which  is  lateral,  and  hollowed  out  in 
fo  Hoping  a  dlredion,  as  to  make  it 
neceflary  in  defcending,  to  have  fome- 
thing  fadened  to  the  body,  even  when 
the  Arabs  give  permillion  to  the  travel- 
ler to  enter  it  5  other  paflages  are  ftill 
Hiut  with  long  ftones,  covered  with  hi- 
eroglyphics and  figues  in  bas  relief.  One 
of  thefe  openings,  by  which  the  Arabs 
draw  out  the  mumnnies  for  fale,  is  fhuc 
only  by  a  wooden'  door,  and  the  en- 
trance of  this  cavern  is  entrufted  to  the 
care  of  an  Arab,  who  lives  there  to  guard 
it  J  but  notwithftanding  the  civil  recep- 
tion he  gave  me,  I  could  only  obtain 
leave  from  him  to  look  through  a  win- 
dow,  made  by  himfelf,  no  doubt ;  but 
1  could  difcover  nothing  but  a  large 
vault,  wherein  the  eye  was  loft  in  dark- 
nefs,  but  the  diredion  of  which  corref- 
ponds  with  the  bafe  of  its  pyramid.  Re- 
fiedting  here  on  the  different  branches 
one  pafTes  through  at  Necropolis,  as 
L  4  well 


^4^  MEMOIRS     OF    THE 

well  as  the  proportionable  extent  and  ele- 
vation of  the  town  of  Memphis,  one 
may  cafily  conceive  the  enormity  of  this 
excavation.  Another  efifential  obferva- 
tion  is,  that  the  pyramids  are  incontefti- 
bly  of  the  fame  rockj  and  it  may  be  bold- 
ly pronounced,  that  the  catacomb  have 
been  the  quarries  from  which  they  have 
been  built.  If  we  add  to  thefe  different 
remarks,  the  neceffary  effeds  of  the  pre- 
judices of  a  people,  whofe  whole  life 
feemed  confecrated  to  death,  will  it  not 
appear  probable,  that  the  inhabitants  of 
Memphis  fhut  up  the  lad  catacombs  at 
the  beginning  of  every  reign,  to  open 
new  ones;  that  the  flones  procured  from 
this  excavation,  were  employed  in  con- 
ftruding  the  maufoleum  of  the  reigning 
Sovereign,  and  that  the  different  fizes  of 
tliem  were  proportioned  to  the  length  of 
their  refpedive  reigns  ?  Thefe  (lones, 
all  of  the  fame  kind,  carried  as  they 
were  wanted  upon  the  furface,  to  form 
thefe  monuments,  had  only  to  be  placed 
a  little  back,  as  foon  as  the  extent  of  the 
firfl  courfe  of  fbones  would  allow  a  calcu- 
lation to  be  made  of  the  neceffary  quan- 
tity.    It  may  ftlll  further  be  conjedured, 

that 


BARON    DE    TOTT,  -249 

that  the  well  I  have  fpoken  of,  termi- 
nating in  the  lower  tombs,  furnifhed  the 
Sovereign,  according  to  their  fuperftiti- 
ous  notions,  with  the  means  of  commu- 
nicating with  all  his  fubjedts  who  died 
during  his  reign  ;  a  fufficient  motive  to 
infpire  him  with  the  precious,  and  always 
ufeful  defire,  of  being  loved  by  them  in 
his  life-time. 

On  this  theory,  Egypt  would  in  fome 
degree  have  determined  the  chronology 
of  her  Kings,  by  a  mathematical  calcula- 
tion ;  and  admitting  the  mean  term  of 
mortality  in  a  given  population,  and  the 
produ6t  of  the  ftones  of  the  catacombs  in 
an  equal  proportion,  it  would  be  enough 
to  have  the  duration  of  the  reign  of  one 
of  the  Pharaohs,  and  the  height  of  his 
monument,  to  find  by  a  rule  of  proporti- 
on, the  length  of  each  reign. 

In  this  point  of  view,  too,  every  idea 
of  opprefTion,  flavery,  and  tyranny  dif- 
appears  at  the  fight  of  thefe  huge  mafies ; 
and  we  (hall  regard  them  only  as  a  lad 
compadt  between  the  Sovereign  and  his 
fubje(fls  :  and  if  we  recollect  ths  feverity 
of  that  tribunal  before  which  every  dead 
perfon  was  arraigned,  before  he  obtain- 
L  s^  cd 


250  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

ed  a  burial,  we  fhall  believe  we  have 
difcovered  the  caufe  of  the  opening  left 
in  the  great  pyramid  of  Gifa,  and  fliali 
behold  thofe  which  are  fliut  with  venera- 
tion. 

If  a  genera]  obfervation  of  thefe  objeds 
furniOies  us  with  this  conje6lure,    it  will 
be  further  confirmed  by  a  more  attentive 
examination.     The  conftrudion    of  Jo- 
feph's  canal,  the  works  of  Upper  Egypt, 
the  celebrated  Lake  Moeris,  and  the  ca- 
nals which  dill  enrich  the  Lower  Egypt, 
are  monuments    of    human    labour,    as 
evidently    as   the  pyramids.     How  can 
•we  fuppofe  thefe  to  have  been  the  works 
of  tyranny  ? — The  benefadlors   of  man- 
kind,   have  they  ever  really  been  their 
opprefTors  ?  But  amongft  a  people  wholly 
occupied  in  preparing  for  their  fepulture, 
who  had  ever  fubmitted  to  deny    them- 
(elves  that  right  they  held   fo   dear,  un* 
lefs  they  were  judged  worthy  of  it,   it  is 
impoiTible  to  fuppofe  that  any  fort  of  op- 
prefllon  can  have  been  employed  in  their 

conftrudion  t. 

The 

f  I  do  not  pretend,  in  this  pafTage,  to  impeach 
what  the  Holy  Scripture  tells  us  of  the  oppreffions 
fufFered  by  the  Ifraelites  in  Egypt,  and  of  the  I4- 
boiixs  to  which  they  were  condemned. 


BARON"    DE    TOTT,  1^1 

The  proportion  of  the  ftones  which 
compofe  the  pyramids,  is  from  feven  to 
eight  feet  long,  by  three  feet  high,  and 
four  broad,  placed  three  feet  within  each 
other,  and  one  for  the  covering,  al- 
though that  of  the  firfl  is  totally  deftroy- 
ed,  which  enables  one  eafily  to  mount 
to  the  top  of  it.  It  cannot  be  doubted 
that  the  (tones  for  it  had  been  previoufly 
prepared,  when  one  confiders  the  num- 
ber of  prifms  granite  ftill  fpread  around 
this  monument.  I  found  one,  the  fide 
of  the  hypothenufe  of  which  had  been 
cut,  to  ferve  as  one  of  the  angles  of  the 
pyramid.  This  difcovery  would  have 
faved  Mr.  Maillet  the  trouble  he  has  ta- 
ken to  difcover  from  the  cement  the  qua- 
lity of  the  covering  ;  it  would  alfohavc 
prevented  him  from  miftaking  fome 
fragments  of  the  calcareous  rock  for 
pieces  of  white  marble.  It  may  be  pre- 
fumed,  that  the  prifms  which  dill  cover 
the  upper  part  of  the  fecond  pyramid, 
wiil  be  detached  for  the  fole  pleafure  of 
feeing  thefe  mafles  roll  down  on  the  low- 
er beds  of  the  monument.  This  muft 
have  been  the  caufe  of  the  deftrudion 
of  thofe  prifms  that  are  wanting,  for  which 

the 


11$2  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

the  flighteft  effort  is  fufficient ;  and  this 
fort  of  amufement  is  to  be  gratified  by 
feme  people  at  any  expcnce. 

It  is  oppofite  to  the  fecond  pyramid^ 
a  fmall  diftancc  before  the  rock,  thac 
the  famous  Sphynx,  much  more  cele- 
brated than  it  merits,  is  ftill  to  be  feen. 
It  is  no  more,  in  fad,  than  a  mafs  of 
rock,  extending  in  the  fhapc  of  an  afs's 
back  to  the  great  ledge,  in  the  diredlion 
of  the  centre  of  this  pyramid.  They 
have  given  to  this  rock  the  form  of  a 
Sphynx  ;  and  have  cut  two  fquare  wells 
out  of  its  back,  to  fcrve  by  way  of  en- 
trance into  the  catacombs,  and  by  this 
means,  the  tombs  fecmed  to  be  intruded 
to  the  guardianfhip  of  this  monfter. 

It  appears  alfo,  that  each  pyramid  and 
catacomb  had  their  temple,  the  ruins  of 
which  are  only  to  be  found,  notwith- 
Handing  the  precaution  of  building  them^ 
with  enormous  (tones.  I  mcafured  one 
of  tnem  twenty-two  feet  long,  by  {even 
feet  high,  and  nine  feet  thick,,  the  joints 
of  which  are  ftill  perfectly  united.  When 
we  confider  that  the  moft  ancient  writers 
only  fpeak  of  thefe  edifices  as  we  fpeak 
of  them   gurfclves,  at  what  epocha  fhall 

we 


BARON    DE    TOTT.  2^3 

we  ^x  the  eonftrudlion  of  feveral  large 
pyramids  to  the  weft  of  thofe  of  Gifa,  of 
which  there  is  nothing  remaining  but  a 
few  courfes  of  ftone  ?  1  (hall  not  fpeak  of 
thofe  fmall  tombs,  which  are  fcarcely 
vifible  J  but  I  cannot  quit  thefe  monu- 
ments, without  communicating  the  Cen^ 
fation  produced  on  myfeifby  their  very 
afpedl,  which  alone  can  give  any  idea  of 
the  height  of  thefe  maffes,  which  we 
cannot  reprefent  by  any  obje61:  of  com^ 
parifon. 

I  have  already  faid,  that  I  fet  out  at 
midnightfrom  Gifa,  with  the  Arabs,  who 
were  to  conduvSt  me  to  their  pyramids^ 
of  which  we  followed  the  dire<^ion  with- 
out lofing  fight  of  thofe  huge  piles,  which 
feemed  to  me  like  fo  many  mountains. 
■ — Arriving  at  a  village,  which  had  hid 
them  for  a  moment  -,  on  coming  out  of 
it,  they  appeared  to  me  fo  prodigioufiy 
elevated,  that  1  thought  I  coold  have 
touched  them.  I  was  even  going  to  dif-^ 
mount,  when  my  guides  told  me  that  we 
wereftill  at  a  league's  diftance.  We  conti- 
nued our  journey  in  fa(ft  near  three  quar- 
ters of  an  hour,  at  the  end  of  which  the 
pyramids  appeared   to   me  fo  much  di- 

miniihcd. 


^54  M2M0IRS    OF    THE 

minifhed,  that  I  got  from  my  horfe,  at  a 
hundred  paces  from  the  firft,  as  much 
aftoniflied  at  the  fmallnefs  of  its  height, 
as  I  had  before  been  at  its  enormous  fize  j 
but  I  foon  found  its  magnitude  again  on 
approaching  it,  and  thefe  contradidlory 
phenomena  of  my  vifion,  induced  me  to 
examine  it  on  the  principles  of  optics. 
For  that  purpofe  1  went  to  the  diflance 
of  more  than  fix  hundred  paces  from  the 
pyramid,  on  a  plane,  horizontal  to  its 
bafe.  I  then  turned  round,  and  this 
point  of  view  giving  me  its  greateft 
elevation,  I  remarked,  that  at  this  dif- 
tance,  the  perpendicular  height  of  the 
monument  filled  the  angle  of  the  rays  of 
vifion,  fo  that  on  coming  nearer  this  an- 
gle, which  I  fliall  compare  with  the  two 
points  of  a  compafs,  could  only  embrace 
one  port ;  and  at  one  hundred  paces  dif- 
tance,  I  could  Icarcely  difcoverthe  third, 
which  was  the  caufe  of  the  fenfation  I 
had  experienced.  It  follows  from  this 
obfervation,  that  every  elevation  which 
o-oes  beyond  the  chord  of  the  two  rays  of 
vifion,  is  an  excefs,  and  every  thing 
which  does  not  fill  it,  a  deficiency.  This 
principle  would  be  ufefully  applied  to 

buildings, 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  2^5 

bulldinors,  if  the  dimenfions  were  to  be 
determined  by  the  diflance  of  the  fpeda- 
tor  *.  Although  the  affairs  I  wasentruft- 
ed  with   did   not  allow  me  to  vifit  the 
plains  of  the  mummies,  I   was  informed 
from  undoubted  authority,  that  the  fands 
which  covers  them,   ftill    preferves  the 
property  of  drying  the  bodies.    The  rock 
beneath  ferves  at  the  fame  time  for  the 
luxury  of  private  burials.     May  we  not 
conclude  from  hence,  that  this  plan,  out 
of  reach  of  the  inundations,   and  from 
that  reafon  as  ufelefs  to  the  living  as  fa- 
vourable to  the  dead,  ferved   by  way  of 
burial  ground  for  the  inhabitants  of  thofe 
fmall  towns  and  villages  of  Egypt,  who, 

from 

*  The  colonnade  of  the  Louvre  has  been  feniibly 
increafed  in  magnitude  lince  the    houfes  have  been 
knocked    down,   which    obliged    the  fpedlators    to 
^  take  too  near  a  view  of  it.     It  would  be  feen  in   its 
highell  perfedion,   if  it  could  be  laid  open  as  far  as 
the  church  of  St.    Germain  L'Auxerrois ;   further 
off,  it  would  lofe  its  beauty.     For  the  fame  reafon, 
the  colonnade  of  the  Palace  of  Louis  XV.  fhould 
have  been  proportioned  to  its  diftance  from  the  road 
to  Verfailles ;  and  one  cannot  help  regretting  at  fee- 
ing the  church  of  St.  Genevieve  from   the  Rue  St. 
Jacques,  that   fo   beautiful    a  copy  of  the  antique, 
fhould  have  been  meafured  with  the   bold  proporti- 
ons of  its  models. 


Q.^6  MEMOIRS     OF    THE 

from  their  fitwation,   could  be  conveyed 
thither. 

The  people  of  the  country  fay,  that  the 
funeral  monuments  of  Thebais  are  innu- 
merable, and  furpafs,  in  magnificencCj 
thofe  of  Memphis  and  Alexandria.  They 
add,  that  temples  are  ftill  to  be  ktn 
there,  whofe  columns  of  rofe  granite  are 
as  large  as  that  of  Pompey,  and  that  the 
paintings  on  the  infide  are  not  lefs  re- 
markable. It  cannot  be  doubted  that 
Upper  Egypt  contains  alfo  an  infinity  of 
treafure  buried  under  its  ruins.  It  is  not 
long  fince,  that  a  Copt  difcovered  an  urn 
filled  with  medals  of  gold,  the  greateft 
part  of  which  he  fccretly  melted  j  but 
^n  Engllfliman  had  the  good  fortune  to 
procuie  about  a  hundred  of  them,  fome 
of  which  are  now  in  the  King  of  France's 
Cabinet. 

There  is  no  reafon  to  imagine  that  fuch 
an  inflance,  by  exciting  the  cupidity  of 
the  inhabitants,  will  be  attended  with 
any  bad  confcqucnce  refpedting  the  pre- 
fervation  of  thefe  monuments  j  the  dread 
of  the  perfecutions  which  would  follow 
fuch  difcoveries,  will  always  reflrain  thofe 
who  might  be  tempted  to  purfue  them. 

Amongfl: 


BARON    DE    TOTT.  257 

Amongft  the  different  works  which 
have  thrown  a  luftre  on  ancient  Egypt, 
the  canal  of  conannunication  between  the 
Red  Sea  and  the  Mediterranean,  would 
merit  the  firft  place,  if  the  efforts  of  ge- 
nius in  favour  of  public  utility,  were  fe- 
conded  by  the  generations  deftined  to 
reap  the  fruits  of  itj  and  if  the  funda- 
mental principles  of  focial  good,  could 
acquire  as  much  liability  as  the  prejudices 
which  tend  to  overthrow  it.  This,  how- 
ever, is  the  epitome  of  all  hiilory :  it 
offers  nothing  but  this  pi6lure,  which  is 
the  picture  of  all  nations,  and  of  all  ages* 
Without  thefe  fucceffive  fcenes  of  deftruc- 
tion,  the  univerfe  would  have  been  go- 
verned only  by  its  geography  5  the  fitu- 
ation  the  moft  favourable  by  nature, 
would  have  didated  unalterable  laws, 
and  the  canal  of  the  Red  Sea  v/ould  have 
formed  the  perpetual  bafis  of  the  public 
rights  of  nations. 

The  moft  ill-founded  opinions,  but 
which  always  prevail  over  the  moft  ac- 
curate obfervations,  have  eftablilhed 
pretty  general  doubts  on  the  exiftence 
of  this  canal  ;  even  the  poffibility  of  it 
has    been   denied :     Diodorus    Siculus^ 

however,. 


258  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

however,  bears  teftimony  to  its  exift- 
ence;  and  whatever  opinion  may  be  en- 
tertained of  this  author  in  other  refpe^ls, 
there  is  no  reafon  for  rejeding  his  autho- 
rity refpefting  facls  to  which  he  was  hinn- 
felf  a  witnefs.. 

He  exprefies  thus,  in  his  Univcrfal 
Hi  (lory  ; — Book  the  Firjl^  Second  Fart, 
— ^*  A  canal  of  comnfiunication  is  made, 
"which  goes  from  the  Pelufiac  Gulph 
*^  into  the  Red  Sea.  Necos,  fon  oiFjam- 
"  meticus^  began  itj  Darius,  King  of 
**  Perfia,  continued  the  work;  but  he 
"  flopped  it,  on  the  advice  of  iome  en- 
**  gineers,  who  informed  him,  that  by 
**  opening  out  the  lands,  he  would  over- 
"  flow  Egypt,  which  they  found  to  be 
"  below  the  level  of  the  Red  Sea.  Ptolemy 
"  the  Second,  neverthelefs,  finifhed 
*^  the  undertaking;  but  he  made  them 
'*  place,  in  the  moft  convenient  part  of 
"  the  canal,  barriers  or  fluiccs,  very  in- 
"  genioufly  contrived,  which  are  opened 
*'  when  one  wants  to  pafs  them,  and  are 
"  very  quickly  fhut.  It  is  for  this  reafon 
*'  thatthe  river  takes  the  nameof  Ptolemy, 
"  in  this  canal,  which  difcharges  itfelf 
"  into  the  fea,  at  the  fpot  where  the  town 

'-'of 


BARON    DE    TOTT.  259 

"  of  Arfinoe  is  built." — It  is  proved  from 
this  paflage,  that  fluices  were  in  life  in 
the  time  of  Diodorus,  of  Sicily.  The 
foundation  on  wh'ch  they  were  built,  is 
to  be  feen  at  this  day.  This  monument 
of  antiquity  was  difcovered  near  Suez,  at 
the  entrance  of  the  canal,  that  dill  exifts, 
and  which  a  very  trifling  labour  would 
render  navigable  v^ithout  employing  any 
(luices,  or  threatening  Egypt  with  inun- 
dations*. Nothing,  in  fad,  could  juf- 
tify  the  engineers  of  Dorcus,  even  al- 
though their  level  had  been  taken  at  the 
moment  of  the  higheft  tides.  It  is  like- 
wife  very  important  to  obferve,  that  all 
this  part  of  the  ifthmus  affords  the  mod 
favourable  foil  for  excavations,  in  the 
fmall  fpace  of  twelve  leagues,  which  fepa- 
rates  the  Arabic  Gulph  from  the  branches 

of 

*  Sultan  Muftapha,  whofe  mind  began  to  be  en- 
lightened, made  me  undertake  a  work  refpeding 
this  imporiant  objed,  the  execution  of  which  he 
referved  until  the  return  of  peace.  At  that  period, 
too,  he  propofed  to  attack  the  vices  of  his  govern- 
ment;  and  I  have  reafon  to  prefume  that  he  would, 
amongft  the  reft,  have  facrificed  even  his  own  def- 
poiifm,  had  this  Prince  furvived  the  unfortunate 
circum (lances,  which  have  prepared  the  way  for 
the  downfall  of  this  empire. 


26o  MEMOTRS    OF    THE 

of  the  Nile  that  approach  it,  until  it  throws 
itfelf,  at  length,  into  the  Mediterranean 
at  Tineck. 

After  taking  a  curfory  view  of  the  mo- 
numents which  appear  more  properly  to 
appertain  to  the  univerfe,  than  to  Egypt 
in  particular,  let  us  now  examine  the 
prefcnt  flate  of  that  kingdom.  Wefe  we 
to  view  it  with  an  eye  to  the  various  cir- 
cumflances  which  conftitute  the  power  of 
a  nation,  the  politician  would  perhaps 
behold  only  with  a  fort  of  contempt  this 
great  metropolis  of  the  world,  the  cradle 
of  all  the  arts  and  all  the  fciences,  re- 
duced at  this  day  to  be  the  province  of 
the  lead  powerful  of  empires;,  but  the 
political  philofopher  will  view  it  under 
an  afped  more  worthy  his  attention  ;  and 
if  he  (till  finds  in  that  climate  the  pro- 
dudtions,  and  the  population  of  ancient 
Egypt,  the  fame  caufes  which  have  ren- 
dered it  fo  celebrated;  thefe  permanent 
advantages  which  cannot  be  deftroyed  by 
ages,  and  have  refifted  the  greateft  revo- 
lutions, will  have  a  decided  preference 
over  thofe governments,  which,  likechy- 
micai  compofitions,  difappearon  the  firfl: 
contrary  procefs  to  that  which  has  pro- 
duced 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  2.6 1 

duced  them.  Such  no  doubt  were  thofc 
powers,  the  memory  of  which  is  tranf- 
mitted  us  by  hiftory,  whofe  capitals  arc 
fcarccly  to  be  found  by  geography. 

In  Egypt,  on  the  contrary,  we  fee 
their  greateft  Kings  concerting  their  am- 
bition in  works  ufeful  for  the  cultivation 
of  the  earth,  which  never  failed  to  fur- 
nirti  them  with  the  means  of  quenching 
that  third  of  glory,  which  the  reft  of  the 
world  led  mankind  to  intoxicate  them- 
felves  with — the  deftrudive  notions  of 
robbery  and  conqueft. 

Did  the  immenfity  of  the  labour  allow 
us  to  attribute  the  formation  of  Lake 
Mceris  to  the  work  of  man,  the  utility  of 
this  prodigious  refervoir  would  confti- 
tute  the  chief  monument  of  the  benefi- 
cence  of  the  Pharaohs;    but  although 
the  extent  and  depth  of  this  lake  leave 
fome  doubt  of  its  origin,  there  can  be 
none  on  thcfubjedl  of  the  canal  of  Jofeph, 
that  of  Trajan,  and  of  Alexandria,   and 
thofe  of  the  Delta.     They  have  vifibly 
been  formed  by  the  hand  of  man.     The 
facility  with  which  the  lands  arc  watered 
by  their   means,    leaves    not  a  fpot  of 
ground  uncultivated  i    and  the  richnefs 

of 


2^2  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

of  the  foil,  by  multiplying  the  crops, 
maintains  and  animates  the  population. 
There  is  no  country  exifling  where  it  is 
more  remarkable  than  in  Egypt.  The 
Delta ;  in  fadt,  the  eadern  and  weftern 
provinces,  as  well  as  all  the  lands  on  the 
banks  of  the  Nile,  as  far  as  the  Tropic, 
prefent  a  pidure  of  the  mod  immenfe  po- 
pulation. I  am  affured  that  in  Egypt 
there  are  more  than  nine  thoujand  villages y 
and  one  hundred  and  two  thoujand  towns 
or  burghs.  It  is  very  certain,  however, 
that  thefe  places  are  fo  near  each  other, 
that  on  my  flopping  at  MentoubeSy  below 
Foucdy  1  counted  no  lefs  than  forty-two 
of  them,  in  running  over  the  horizon 
with  my  eye,  and  the  moft  diftant  of 
which  was  not  two  leagues  ofF. 

Every  where  throughout  this  country, 
within  the  reach  of  the  inundations, 
thefe  habitations  are  built  on  little  hills, 
thrown  up  for  that  purpofe,  and  which 
form  the  common  foundation  of  all  the 
houfes  that  are  built  on  them,  and  which 
they  are  induced  to  comprcfs  in  as  fmali 
a  fpace  as  poflible,  for  the  benefit  of  cul- 
tivation.— The  precaution  of  elevating 
them  is  effentidlly   ncceiTary  to  prevent 

the 


feARON    DE    TOTT.  26^ 

the  houfes,  which  are  built  of  earth  from 
being  deftroyed  by  the  inundations.  The 
villages  are  always  furrounded  by  an  in- 
finite nunnber  of  little  pointed  turrets,  to 
attrad  the  pigeons  for  the  purpofe  of 
colledling  their  dung.  Every  fettlement 
has  likewife  a  fmall  wood  of  palnn  trees 
adjoining  ir,  which  is  common  property, 
and  furnifhes  the  inhabitants  with  dates 
for  their  confumption,  and  the  leaves 
for  the  making  of  balkets,  matts,  and 
other  articles  of  that  nature.  Little  caufe- 
ways,  elevated  alfo  on  account  of  the  in- 
undation, keep  up  a  free  communica- 
tion every  where  during  that  period.  It 
is  on  the  borders  of  the  Nile,  and  on  the 
great  canals,  that  the  large  towns  are 
formed,  where  all  the  houfes  are  built  of 
brick,  of  fcveral  ftories,  and  in  pretty 
much  the  fame  tafte  as  that  which  pre- 
vailed in  France  in  the  time  of  Francis 
the  Firft :  the  palm-trees  which  furround 
them,  and  the  boats  which  line  their 
banks,  add  much  to  the  beauty  of  their 
fituation. 

It  is  thus,  by  uniting  agriculture  with 
commerce,  that  all  the  towns  of  Egypt 
are  connedted,  animated^  and  profited  by 

the 


164  MEMOIRS    OF   THE 

the  mutual  induftry  that  furrounds  them. 
But  Cairo  does  not  limit  the  advantages 
of  her  fituation  to  the  fole  intereft:  of 
Egypt;  her  commerce  embraces  the  two 
hemifpheres  of  the  globe  :  one  there  fees 
the  ftreets  daily  embarrafTcd  by  the  num- 
ber of  camels  employed  in  tranfporting 
the  merchandize  of  Europe,  and  of  the 
Indies  ;  and  the  aflemblage  of  bales, 
fome  marked  for  Madras,  and  others  for 
Marfeilles,  fecms  here  to  have  fixed  a 
centre  to  the  univerfe. 

Cairo,  called  Miflir  by  the  Arabs,  is 
fituated  at  half  a  league's  diftance  from 
the  Nile,  on  the  right  bank  of  that  river: 
— This  town  touches  the  mountains  of 
Arabia  ;  and  it  is  at  the  angle  formed  by 
them  in  ftretching  to  the  eaftward,  that 
the  caftle  of  Cairo  is  built : — Boulac,  and 
Old  Cairo  are  its  fuburbs;  and  if  we 
comprehend  thefe  two  towns,  in  calcu- 
lating the  population  of  the  capital,  we 
Ihall  find  in  the  700,000  inhabitants  it 
contains,  a  frelh  proof  of  the  immenfe 
population  of  Egypt*. 

Cairo 

*  The  Chief  of  the  Cullomhoufe  in  Egypt,  who 
muft  be  confidered  as  the  Controler  General  of  that 
kingdom,  afTured  me  that  the  town  of  Cairo  alone 

con- 


BARON     D£    TOTT.  26 ^ 

Cairo  contains  fonae  palaces  fpacious 
enough  to  merit  decoration  ;  fuch  as  the 
Palace  of  Lufbequia,  thatof  Romeiia,  and 
that  of  the  grand  Mofque,  called  Sultan 
Haflanj  but  all  the  ftreets  are  narrow, 
badly  contrived,  and  ill  paved i  the  pa- 
laces themfelves,  which  contain  the  great- 
eft  riches,  have  nothing  in  their  external 
appearance  that  announces  the  opulence 
of  this  town.  Wholly  occupied  with  the 
rich  commerce  of  the  produflions  of 
Egypt,  by  the  Nile  j  thofe  of  Europe, 
by  the  Mediterranean  i  and  with  that  of 
Yemen,  and  the  Indies,  by  the  Red  Sea  -, 
this  capital  ftili  further  Av^aliows  up  all 
the  territorial  revenues  expended  there 
by  the  grandees.  Its  fubfiftence,  which 
is  connedled  alfo  with  commerce,  in- 
creafes  its  wealth,  and  luxury  is  confe- 
quently  grown  to  fuch  a  height,  as  to 
under-value  even  gold,  and  they  can 
fcarcely  be  fatisfied  with  the  richeft  fa- 
brics of  India. 

Every  thing  that  in  another  country 
muft  be  the  fole  produce  of  an  enlighten- 

VoL.  III.  M  ed 

contained  more  than  700,000  inhabitaaits ;  and  I 
have  added  the  fuburbs  of  Boulac  and  Old  Cairo 
to  my  calculation,  to  avoid  the  pofiibility  of  exag- 
geration. 


266  MEMOIRS    OF    TH£ 

ed  adminiftration,  conftantly  diredted  on 
the  mod  falutary  principles,  fpringsfrom 
its  own  happy  foil  in  Egypt.  The  rich- 
nefs  of  its  produdlions,  by  iupplying  the 
avidity  of  the  tyrant,  fecures  the  culti- 
vator frorn  the  effecfls  of  tyranny  ;  and 
its  fuperfluous  corn,  become  a  mod  ef- 
fential  article  for  Arabia  Felix,  procures 
frefh  articles  of  barter,  and  places  adive 
comnnerce  on  the  mod  folid  and  inde- 
pendent footing. — The  principal  ports  of 
Egypt  are  Suez  and  Alexandria  ;  but  it 
is  not  from  thefe  two  harbours  that  we 
muft  judge  of  the  innportance  of  its  trade; 
where  there  is  no  adminiftration,  there 
can  neither  exift  corporate  bodies  of 
traders,  exclufive  private  privileges,  nor 
fubaltern  monopolies;  comnnerce  takes 
its  natural  level,  real  fubftantial  credit 
crets  pofielTion  of  it,  the  cultivator  be- 
comes the  partner  of  the  merchant,  and 
its  agents  receive  their  pay.  It  is  on  this 
principle,  doubtlefs,  that  we  muft  ac- 
count for  the  poverty  of  the  two  towns  I 
have  been  fpeaking  of;  they  are  only 
hired  agents  of  commerce.  Suez,  in  par- 
ticular, is  remarkable  for  the  mifery  of 
its  inhabitants;  and  the  Arabs  have  be- 
come 


BARON     DETOTT.  267 

come  mafters  of  the  privilege  of  tranf- 
porting  the  merchandize,  without  re- 
nouncing that  of  pillaging,  as  often  as 
anarchy  gives  them  the  opportunity  of 
doing  it  unpuniflied. 

Befides    the   corn   which   Egypt    ex- 
changes in   the  Yemen,  for  the  coffee 
which  is  fold  in  Europe,  and  particular- 
ly amongft  the  Turks,  the  rice,  the  flax, 
the  fait  of  natrum,   made  ufe  of  in  the 
tanneries;   fal  ammoniac,   for  tin  work; 
kenna  and  fafranum,  for  dying;  the  mofl 
precious    drugs    and    gums,    conftitute 
moil   important   articles   of  commerce. 
Sugar  is  the  only   article,    wherein  the 
induftry  of  the  Egyptians  does  not  ex- 
ceed  the  confumption  of  the  country; 
and  the  fmall  quantity  of  powder  fugar 
exported  to  Condantinople,  does  not  be- 
fpeak  the  quality  of  that  fine  fugar  which 
comes  from  Upper  Egypt,  and  is  refined 
at  Cairo.     The   Delta  furnifhes  alfo   a 
great  quantity  of  fugar  canes  ;   but  they 
are  only  cultivated  there  for  the  pleafure 
of  the  inhabitants,  who  ufe  them  by  way 
pf  refrefhment.     A  more  ufeful  branch 
of  induftry  is  the  manufadlure  of  linens, 
which  is  under  no  reftraint  or  regulation, 
•    .  M  2  and 


268  MEMOIRS    OF     THE 

arid'cxtends  even  to  the  catacombs,  as 
well  as  the  culture  of  indigo;  and  the 
doathing,  which  in  this  burning  climate 
confifts  only  in  a  linen  fhirt,  always  died 
blue,  enables  them  likewife  to  export  a 
quantity  of  that  article.  There  is  a  con- 
fiderable  commerce,  likewife,  for  the 
fait,  found  in  the  natural  falt-pits  in  the 
lower  parts  of  Egypt,  for  the  fupply  of 
the  coail:  of  Syria,  and  the  interior  parts 
of  the  country  as  far  as  Damafcus. 

It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  foreign 
plants,  tranfplanred  into  Egypt,  degene- 
rate there,  fo  as  to  be  incapable  of  re- 
produdion.  This  happens  with  the  in- 
digo:  and  it  is  as  remarkable,  that  the 
fields  of  indigo,  annually  fown  with  frefh 
grain,  brought  from  Syria,  furnifl-i  the 
Egyptians  with  a  mod  beautiful  dye-, 
whilft  the  fame  plant  is  without  that  qua- 
lity in  its  native  foil.  It  follows  from 
this  obfervation,  that  the  indigo  of  Syria 
muft  be  tranfplanted  ;  but  that  the  luxu- 
riance of  the  foil  of  Egypt,  and  the  great 
heat  of  the  fun,  injures  the  quality  of  the 
grain,  fey  giving  it  the  property  of  a  hot 
houfe. 

To  the  goodnefs  of  the  foil,  and  the 
richnefsof  the  produdions  of  Egypt,  muft 

be 


BARON    DE      TOTT.  26  J 

be  added  the  perfe6l  falubrity  of  the  air; 
a  circumftance  particularly  (iriking,  when 
we  confider  that  Rofetta,  Damicttaj  and 
Manfoura,  furrounded  by  plantations  of 
rice,  are  celebrated  for  the  health  of  their 
inhabitants ;  and  Egypt  is,  perhaps,  the 
only  country  in  the  world  where  this  fore 
of  cultivation  is  not  unhealthy,  from  the 
neceflary  quantity  of  ftagnated  waters. 
Riches  in  that  country  arc  in  no  refpecft 
injurious  to  the  life  of  man. 

The  inquiries  I  carefully  made  refpe61:- 
ing  theplaguej  which  I  had  always  iniJ^-  * 
gined  to  be  of  Egyptian  origin,  con- 
vinced me,  that  it  would  not  even  be 
known  in  that  country,  were  not  the  in- 
fedtion  conveyed  to  Alexandria  by  its 
commerce  with  Conftantinople.  It  is  in 
the  former  town  that  it  always  begins  to 
(how  itfelf.  It  is  but  very  feldom,  too, 
that  it  reaches  Cairo,  although  no  pre- 
caution is  taken  to  prevent  it  i  and  when 
it  does,  the  great  lieats  foon  put  a  {top 
to  it,  and  hinder  ft  from  penetrating 
into  the  faid  town  ^  befides,  it  is  well 
known,  that  the  piercing  dews  which 
fall  in  Egypt,  towards  Midfummer,  de- 
(troy  even  at  Alexandria  the  very  feeds  of 
this  diforder. 

M  3  Ic 


270  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

It  is  only  on  the  coaRs  of  the  Medi- 
terranean, and  about  ten  leagues  up  the 
country,  that  rains  are  known  in  Egypt; 
they  very  rarely  extend  any  farther. 
There  fcarcely  falls  two  hours  gentle  rain 
in  a  year  at  Cairo;  thunder  is  never 
heard,  and  ilorms,  which  are  very  un- 
connmon,  always  fall  on  the  elevated 
parts  of  the  defarts  of  Lybia  and  Arabia, 
where  they  have  nothing  to  deftroy.  It 
is  thus  that  every  thing  concurs  in  dif- 
fufing  over  Egypt  the  choicefl:  gifts  of 
Mature;  birds  of  every  kind,  and  of  the 
rareft  fpecics  of  them,  feem  to  colle6t 
here  in  quantities  to  enjoy  its  beauties 
and  advantages,  and  to  join  their  war- 
blings  to  the  natural  gaiety  of  the  inha- 
bitants. 

The  courfe  of  the  Nile  prefents 
the  mod  intereiling  pi(!lure  of  this  kind. 
The  borders  of  this  river,  as  well  as  of  all 
the  canals,  are  conftantly  covered  with 
people  employed  in  watering  the  ground, 
either  by  drawing  it  thcmfelves,  or  by 
driving  the  animals  which  afTifl:  them  in 
their  labours;  an  infinite  number  of 
draw-buckets,  and  of  vertical  wheels, 
are  placed  for  this  purpofe  on  the  banks ; 

the 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  If  I 

the  water,  which  is  raifed  by  them,  and 
is  firft  conveyed  into  a  trench,  is  diftri- 
buted  throughout  the  grounds,   by  dif- 
ferent   branches,    which   are   contrived, 
and  made  ufe  of  by  the  induftrious  and 
a6tive  planter,  with  equal  fkill  and  ceco- 
nomy.     The  women  who  have  the  ma- 
nagement of  the  houfe,  are  likewife  to 
be  fcen  carrying  the  river  water  in  pitch- 
ers  on   their   heads  for   culinary   ufes; 
others   wafh    their   linen,    bleach   their 
cloaths,    fpread    them    out,    and    give 
themfelves  up  to  their  natural  gaiety,  at 
the  firft  objed  that  amufes  them.    They 
then  make  the   air  refound  with  a  lively 
and  rolling  found,  the  lululatus  of  the 
Romans.     The  paffage  boats  eftablifhed 
between  one  town  and  another,  the  barks 
for  the  conveyance   of  the  different  pro- 
dudions,    and  the  continual  navigation 
refulting    from    this    commerce,     add 
greatly  to  the  variety  and  beauty  of  this 
moving  pidurc. 

This  navigation  is  above  all  remark- 
able for  the  agility  of  the  failors,  and  the 
manner  in  which  they  convey  the  earthen 
ware,  manufadured  in  Upper  Egypt. — 
Before  1  explain  this,  it  is  ncceifary  to 
M  A  obferve. 


272  MEMOIRS     OF    THE 

obferve,  that  the  earthen  jars,  employ- 
ed in  prefcrving  the  water  for  the  inhabi- 
tants, niufl  be  made  larger  in  proportion 
to  the  di (lances  of  their  houfcs  from  the 
river  or  canal ;  the  Lower  Hgypt  being 
thus  fituatedj  the  potters  of  Upper  Egypt 
avail  themfelves  of  this  circumftance,  to 
oecononiize  their  means  of  conveyance: 
the  largeft  jars  tied  together  by  their 
handles  form  the  bottom  of  their  raft, 
tlie  middle  fized  ones  the  fecond  ;  the 
fmaller  articles  come  next.  The  pro- 
prietor contrives  himfclf  a  convenient 
place  upon  his  floating  fhop,  and  fur- 
nifhed  with  a  pole  to  dired  his  landing; 
he  abandons  himfelf  to  tlie  current  with- 
out being  afraid  of  (Iriking  on  a  foft  clay 
which  can  hurt  nothing.  In  this  man- 
ner does  he  arrive  at  the  Delta,  where 
his  vefTcl  foon  difappears,  by  the  fuc- 
ceflive  fale  of  the  materials  that  com- 
pofed  it. 

The  Egyptians,  naturally  gentle  and 
timid,  are  likewifc  gay  and  debauched ; 
all  their  a(5lions  partake  at  bottom  of  this 
charader ;  the  fmallefl  circumftance 
terrifies  them, — the  (lighted  civility  ren- 
ders 


3  A  RON    DE    TOTT*  '273 

ders  them  familiar.  The  taftc  of  this 
people  for  dancing  has  introduced  wo- 
men dancers  into  Egypr,  in  vviiich  thev 
know  no  reflraint,  and  take  no  pleafure 
but  in  excefs.  Excepting  tliat  the 
Egyptians  have  tawny  fkins,  they  appear 
tome  a  beautiful  race  of  people,,  their 
bodies  are  remarkably  (lender,  and  form- 
ed for  a'5tivi:y.  The  m.en  and  women 
fvvim  like  fifhes;  their  drefs  confiftsonly 
of  a  blue  Hiirt,  which  fcurcely  defcends 
low  enough  to  hide  the  nakednefs  of  the. 
women  y — i\\t  men  faflen  tlieips^  which 
Gomes  no  lower  than  round  their  v/aids, 
for  the  convenience  of  working; — the 
children  are  always  naked,  and  I  have 
feen  voung-  n-jrls,  ftiil  treated  as  chil- 
dren,  at  eighteen  years   of  age. 

The  Mahometan  is  the  eiiablifhed  re- 
ligion of  the  Egyptians;,  but  thefc  peo- 
ple add  a  great  many  ceremonies,  which 
are  more  conneded  with  their  tafte  for 
public  fnows,  than  with  the  precepts  of 
the  Prophet.  Brotherhoods  ofpenitentS;> 
nodurnal  procefTions  with  wax  tapers, 
drelTes  adapted  to  this  fort  of  devotion, 
the  hymns  which  are  ufcd  at  burials,  the 
M  5  tears 


274  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

tears  which  are  (hed  on  thefe  occafions, 
and  the  Epulum  Ferale  *.    Thefe  pradlices 
are  all  rather  borrowed  from  the  fuper- 
flition  of  their  anceftors,   than   fro nn  the 
new  religion  they  have  embraced.     The 
Egyptians,  however,  have  lefs   ferocity 
in  the  excrcife    of  their  prejudices  than 
the    Turks,    who   have    fewer    fuperfti- 
tious  rites.     But  the  latter  are  proud  and 
overbearing,    whilfl:   the   Egyptians   are 
only   weak.     One    may   perceive,    alfo, 
that  the   amufements  which  accompany 
their  ceremonies,  captivates  them  more 
than  the  oftenfible  motive;  and    that  the 
gaiety   and   libertinifm    of  the   people, 
have   more  efFedt  in  their  favourite  pil- 
grimages, than   the   Saint  has  influence 
over  the  minds  of  thofe  who  colledt  to 
worfhip  him. 

The  Saints  the  mod  refpe£led,  are  the 

Iman  Chafi,  at  Cairo,  and  the  Iman  of 

Tinta,   a  town  fituated  in  the  middle  of 

V  the 

*  The  Banquet  of  the  Dead,  praftifed  amongft 
the  Romans,  in  ufe  amongft  the  Greeks,  and  re* 
jeded  by  the  Mahometans ;  but  it  ftill  prevails  in 
Egypt,  where  the  Calif  Omar  thinks,  doubtlefs, 
that  it  is  better  to  give  way  to  the  fuperltition,  more 
fecurely  \o  govern  the  fuperftitious. 


bason  de  tott.  275 

the  Delta.  This  laft  is  called  Seid  Ach- 
met  Bedouit.  In  the  month  of  July, 
more  than  200,000  perfons  flock  to  this 
tomb,  from  Upper  and  Lower  Egypt. 
Commerce  which  profits  by  every  thing, 
has  eftablifhed  a  fair  at  that  time  -,  wo- 
men-dancers, and  jugglers,  colled  there 
alfo,  whilil  it  lafts.  Tinta  then  com- 
bines every  thing  which  can  contribute 
to  the  gratification  of  the  pilgrims;  and 
the  Chek  of  the  Mofque  of  Seid  Achmec 
and  Bedouit,  gathers  a  plentiful  harveft, 
by  taxing  the  devotion  of  fome,  and 
the  pleafures  of  the  greatell  part  of  them. 
Each  town  in  Egypt  alfo  has  its  Saint, 
its  proceffions,  and  diverfions;  every 
body  repairs  there, — at  lead,  from  the 
neighbourhood;  and  the  government 
affords  them  a  fort  cf  proteclion.  Ic 
cannot  be  doubted,  that  here,  as  well 
as  elfewhere,  the  Saint  of  the  capital  en- 
joys all  the  privileges  of  the  metropolis, 
and  that  his  tomb  is  conftantly  fupplied 
withcultomers.  But  the  devotion  of  the 
women,  always ,  more  fervent. in  every 
country  than  that  of  the  men,  Is  not  li- 
mited  in   Egypt    to  the  invocation   of 


27^  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

Manes;  and  as  rogues  are  always  en- 
couraged by  dupes,  many  Saints  are  to 
be  feen  at  Cairo  in  perfedl  good  health, 
to  whom  the  women  addrels  themfelves 
in  preference  to  the  dead  ones.  It  is  ge- 
nerally at  the  gate,  or  in  the  court  of  the 
Mofques,  that  thefe  predefined  Saints 
take  up  their  habitations,  lying  on  an  in- 
different mat ;  their  drefs  proclaims  that 
they  already  think  themfelves  in  Paradife; 
and  this  air  of  bleflednefs  cherifhes  the 
veneration  of  the  people.  Others,  to 
give  themfelves  more  importance,  march 
gravely  along  the  ftreets,  covered  only 
with  a  long  tunick  of  white  vvooL  They 
preach  contempt  of  riches,  but  afk  alms 
with  infolence,  and  constantly  proclaim 
the  end  of  the  v/orld. 

One  of  thefe  Saints  gave  a  proof  in 
Egypt,  that  the  habit  of  cheating  others,, 
leads  men  at  length  to  impole  upon 
themfelves.  One  of  thefe  knaves,  be- 
come an  enthufiaft,  announced  to  the 
people  the  day  and  hour  when,  on  pro- 
nouncing the  name  of  God,  he  would 
pafs  the  Nile,  (landing  on  a  mat.  A 
-c;roud   of  curious   people  accompanied. 

him 


BARON    DE    TOTT.  277 

him  to  the  fhore ;  the  Saint  foon  difap- 
peared  in  the  waves  i  and  the  fools, 
who  were  waiting  for  the  miracle,  by 
giving  it  time  to  operate,  left  the  mad- 
man time  enough  to  drown  himfelf. 

Humanity,  degraded  by  thefe  pious 
abfurdities,  is  honoured,  however,  in 
Egypt,  by  an  unlimited  edablifhmenc 
for  the  blind  ;  it  is  from  this  reafon,  that 
from  its  being  open  to  a  general  recep- 
tion, all  the  blind  are  collecled  at  Cairo, 
which  has  given  fan6tion  to  the  opinion, 
that  this  misfortune  is  multiplied  by  the 
climate.  They  reckon  about  four  thou- 
fand,  maintained  by  the  Mofque  of  Sul- 
tan HalTan;  but,  comparatively  with 
our  climate,  this  number  does  not  ex- 
ceed, perhaps,  the  proportion  of  the  in- 
habitants. It  mud  be  allowed,  however, 
that  in  Egypt,  this  diforder  attacks, 
more  particularly,  that  clafs  of  indivi- 
duals who  lie  habitually  in  the  flreets,  or 
on  the  terraces  of  the  houfes.  A  frefli 
dew,  which  falls  in  the  night,  infenfibly 
afteds  the  eye-lids,  and  difpofes  them 
to  ulceration,  from  the  contrafl:  with  the 
heat  of  the  day.     But  on.the  other  hand, 

the. 


278  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

the  fight  of  thofe  who  fleep  under  cover 
does  not  even  pay  the  ufual  tribute,  to 
which  intemperance  alone  fubjefls  the 
inhabitants  of  other  clinnates. 

After  having  confidered  the  monu- 
ments of  Egypt,  the  beauty  of  its  cli- 
mate, its  popuktion,  the  aftivity  of  its 
inhabitants,  and  the  richnefs  of  its  pro- 
du£lions,  there  is  nothing  remaining 
but  to  throw  a  glance  of  contempt  on 
its  wretched  government. 

Some  Georgian  children  tranfported 
into  Egypt,  and  fold  there,  re-people  ten 
or  twelve  thoufand  Mamalukes,  which 
trifling  number  furniihes  the  Beys  with 
fubalterns  m.ore  cruel  than  their  mafters, 
and  who  carry  their  tyrannical  orders-in- 
to  execution  with  aggravated  barbarity. 
In  examining  the  canons,  or  code  of 
Sultan  Selim,  one  would  imagine  that 
this  Prince  capitulated  with  the  Mama- 
lukes, rather  than  conquered  Egypt. 
It  is  evident,  in  fadj  that  by  fufi^ering 
the  twenty-four  Beys  to  fubfift,  who 
governed  that  kingdom,  he  only  aimed 
at  ballancing  their  authority,  by  that  of 
a  Pacha,  whom  he  conftituted  Governor 

General, 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  279 

General,   and  Prefident  of  the  Council ; 
and  this  was  adually  the  cafe  as  long  as 
the  Porte  was  able  effedlually  to  fupport 
its  officers  J    but  the  weaknefs  of  the  Ot- 
toman government  foon  reduced    it  to 
the    fole    refource  of  forming  divifions 
amongfl  the  Beys,  in  order  to  maintain 
its  own  authority  over  them.     It  is  thus 
that  the  Turks,   by  always  efpoufing  the 
weakeil:   party,  created   themfelves  new 
enemies  ;   and  thefe  frequent  errors  have 
reduced    the  Pachas  to   an   empty    title, 
fometimes  flattered  by  the  Mamalukes, 
who  always  take  care,  however,  to  re- 
tain the  perfon  who  bears  it,  fhut  up  ia 
a  clofe  prifon. 

The  celebrated  Ali-Bsy  f  contributed 
the  mod  to  this  anarchyj  he  had  form.- 
cd  the  proje6b  of  becoming  independent, 
and  it  was  to  attain  that  objedt,  that,  in 
the  days  of  his  great  influence,  after  ex- 
pelling or  murdering  all  the  Beys   who 

appeared 

t  For   the  views   and   tranfadions   of  Ali-Bey 
and  the  Cheik  Taher,   fee  Dodfley's   Annual  Re- 
giller  for  1773  ;  in  which,  however,  there  are  ma- 
ny erroneous  particulars  refpecting  the  Baron  de 

Tott,   the   Grand  Viiir,  and   Haflan  Pacha. ^ 

Tranflator. 


28o  MEMOIRS     OF    THE 

appeared  to  poflfefs  too  much  power  for 
him,  to  give  him  hopes  of  making  them 
inftrumental  in  his  defigns,  he  forced 
the  Pacha  to  confer  all  the  vacant  digni- 
ties on  his  own  Qaves.  F-Te  thought  al- 
fo,  that  he  could  not  govern  Egypt  in 
tranquillity,  but  by  making  the  Cheik- 
Taher  mailer  of  all  Syria  and  Damafcus,. 
as  far  as  Gaza,  which  he  referved  for 
himfelf.  He  intended  ar  ihe  fame  time, 
to  edabliOi  the  indepenaencc  of  the 
Drufes  and  Mutualis,  whom  iu:  fought 
for  allies,  imagining,  that  af,-'"  railing 
this  impenetrable  barrier  to  trie  Otto- 
man power,  he  fhould  have  no  ciHicul- 
ty  in  placing  the  crown  of  Egypt  on  his, 
head. 

One  of  his  Haves,  however,  whom  he 
had  elevated  to  the  dignity  of  Bey,  dared 
to  enter  the  lifts  with  liini  us  h'-s  rival  ; 
and  afluming  the  mafk  of  fidelity  which 
did  not  impofe  upon  tii-^  Forte,  Mouha- 
met-Eey  attacked  his  maft.er,  and  was  fuc-. 
cefsful  J  and,  with  lefs  enlightened  views 
than  him,  he  fiev/  to  annihilate  the 
Cheir-Taher,  in  order  to  re-unite  Syria 
to  Egypt.  EIis  ingratitude  efcaped  un- 
puniilied:  he  was  not  fo  t'brtunace  in  his 

politics. 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  28  I 

politics.  He  loft  his  life  at  the  fiege  of 
Acra;  and  Murad-Bey,  who  pretended 
to  fucceed  him,  was  only  the  tyrant  of 
the  day,  deftroyed  by  the  lad  revolution, 
which  has  left  Ifmael  Bey  at  the  head  of 
the  government,  which  has  already  met 
with  oppofition,  and  has  taken  no  cha- 
rader  or  confiflency* 

The  frequent  quarrels  which  call  the 
Manialukes  to  arms,  refemble  more  the 
tumult  of  an  affafllnation,  than  an  open 
war.  The  dilTentions  of  the  tyrants  af- 
ford the  people  a  fpcdlacle  v/hich  fcrves 
only  to  amiufe  them.  Silent  fpedators, 
indifferent  about  the  fuccefs,  without 
concern,  and  without  hope,  they  never 
attempt  to  interrupt  any  of  their  opera- 
tions. If  the  indifference  of  the  people 
refpe6ting  thefe  events,  which  occur  fo 
frequently,  be  aitonifhing;  when  one 
confiders  the  facility  with  which  they 
could  difpofe  of  their  tyrants,  the  tran- 
quillity ^gf  the  latter  is  ftill  more  furpriz- 
ing;  there  is  no  vifible  reflraint  what- 
ever for  the  multitude  i  and  the  Mama- 
lukes  appear  to  contend  for  Egypt,  as  a 
band  of  robbers  would  difpute  the  divi- 
fion  of  a  booty. 

Each 


282  MEMOIRS    OF    TH£ 

Each  Bey,  Governor  of  a  province, 
names  his  Kiachefs,  a  fort  of  Sub-gover- 
nor in  every  diftrid.  Thefe  petty  ty- 
rants, invefted  with  the  dignity  which 
prepares  the  way  for  their  arriving  at  that 
of  Bey,  attach  v.  themfelves  fomc  Ma- 
malukes  without  employment,  and  all 
the  towns  and  villages  of  Egypt,  referv- 
cd  for  the  Beys,  or  parcelled  out  by  them 
amongfl;  their  creatures,  are  fubjedt  to  a 
teritorial  tribute.  The  cultivator  holds 
his  lands  at  the  difpofal  of  the  mafter, 
alTigned  him  by  the  ruling  party.  The 
body  of  Mamalukes  difperfed  through- 
out Egypt,  arc  always  attradled  to  Cairo 
on  every  revolution  -,  but  thefe  quarrels, 
by  rcftoring  the  inhabitants  to  their  li- 
berty, never  infpire  them  with  the  idea 
of  preferving  it,  and  the  tyrants  never 
imagine,  that  whilll  they  are  fkirmifhing 
at  the  gates  of  the  town,  they  may  be 
(hut  againft  them. 

All  the  Beys  refide  at  Cairo,  and 
they  have  no  other  troops  but  their  own 
Haves.  It  is  there  that  intrigues  lay  the 
foundation  of  their  frequent  revolutions; 
when  they  are  ready  to  break  out,  the 
Kiachefs,  their  clients,  fly  with  the  Ma- 
malukes 


BARON    DE    TOTT.  283 

malukes  to  join  their  mafters,  or  to  be- 
tray them,  by  deferting  to  the  oppofice 
party,  when  they  find  their  advantage 
in  it.  What  can  be  expeded  from  the 
combination  of  fuch  forces,  without  ei- 
ther difcipline,  or  attachment  to  the  pub- 
lic-weal ?  their  avidity,  which  is  the 
ruling  motive  that  coUefls  them,  dif- 
perfes  them,  as  foon  as  they  feel  the  in- 
fluence of  a  ftronger  intereft. 

The  caflle  of  Cairo,  which  fcarcely 
merits  that  appellation,  is  in  general  the 
fpot  where  their  difputes  commence ;  and 
the  contending  parties,  toget  pofTeffion 
of  this  poft,  refpedively  ufe  every  en- 
deavour to  bring  over  to  their  fide  the 
Mamalukes  who  command  it.  The  pof- 
feflion  of  the  town  is  the  fole  object  of 
their  conquefl,  which  is  always  followed 
by  that  of  all  the  Lower  Egypt,  becaufe 
there  is  nobody  to  difpute  it,  and  that 
the  fituation  of  Cairo  on  the  Nile,  com- 
mands the  commerce  of  all  its  produc- 
tions, the  fole  intereft  of  the  cultivator  j 
but  this  town  depends,  in  its  turn,  on 
the  Delta,  and  Upper  Egypt,  from 
whence  it  draws  its  fubfiftence.  The 
Seid,   is,   on  this  account,  the  only  re- 

fource 


284  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

foiirce  of  the  fugitives,  where  they  re- 
tire, to  interrupt  the  navigation  of  the 
river,   and  ftarve  the  capital. 

Troops  detached  by  the  victorious 
party,  follow  up  the  deflruLlion  of  the. 
vanquifhed  Beys,  who  only  obtain  par- 
don by  reducing  their  attendants  to  two 
or  three  Mamalukes,  and  refiding  at  a 
diftance,  whilfl:  their  partizans  continue 
to  negociate,  and  always  with  fuccefs, 
for   their   return    to  Cairo,   to   join  the 

prevailing    party. During    this    war 

againfl:  the  fugitives,  the  Cheik-Am- 
man,  who  connnnands  the  Arabs  in 
Upper  Egypt,  becomes  a  man  of  confe- 
quence;  his  afTiflance  is  folicited  by  both 
parties :  but  the  Arabs  confined  in  Ly- 
bia  and  Stony  Arabia,  \tfs  neceffary, 
not  fo  accommodating;  and  lefs  infli- 
gated  to  take  a  part,  pillage  on  every 
fide;  the  Delta  alone,  furrounded  by 
the  waters,  is  preferved  from  their  de- 
predations, and  the  Mamalukes  flying 
on  the  two  banks  of  the  river,  efcape 
with  difficulty  from  their  refearches. 
The  confufion  is  general,  until  a  fredi 
partition  of  the  governments,  diflridls, 
and  villages,  re-eflablifhes  the  adminif- 

tration, 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  2S5 

tration,   and  again  delivers  Egypt  over 
to  new  tyrants. 

A  fhort  account  of  the  revolution  to 
which  I  was  myfelf  a  witnefs,  will  con- 
firm the  idea  1  have  here  given  of  the 
Mamalukes. 

After  the  death  of  Mouhamet  Bey,  of 
whom  I  have  already  fpoken,  the  Beys  of 
Egypt,  divided  into  two  parties,  were 
preparing  in  filence  the  means  of  mutual 
de(tru6tion.  Murat,  burning  with  the 
fame  ambition  which  had  animated  his 
former  mafler,  connected  with  Ibrahim, 
the  Chek  Elhelet'^,  and  feme  other  Beys 
of  lefs  importance.  They  exercifed  their 
tyranny  without  interruption,  whilft  If- 
mael,  JulTuf,  and  fome  other  Beys,  were 
themfelves  watching  the  moment  to  take 
pofTeffion  of  the  government. 

IJmaeUAga^  a  man  of  abilities,  full  of 
art,  and  a  perfed  mafler  of  treachery  and 
dillimulation,  apparently  attached  to 
Murat  Bey,  governed  in  his  name,  and 
fomented  and  fupported  the  oppreiTions, 
to  which  feveral  Coptic  and  Turkifh  mer- 
chants had  fallen  the  vidims.  Murat, 
however,  on  his  return  from  Lachorkye, 

where 

*  Commander  in  Chief. 


286  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

where  he  had  been  harrafling  the  Arabs, 
was  informed  that  one  of  his  people  had 
been  baftinadoed  by  Soliman  Kiachefy 
who  was  attached  to  JulTuf  Bey  ;  he  fenc 
for  the  Kiachef,  and  ordered  him  to  be 
repaid  that  correction  with  intereft  :  Juf- 
faf  knew  fo  well  how  to  diflemble  this 
offence,  that  Murat  was  encouraged  to 
imagine  he  could  attempt  every  thing 
with  impunity.  His  rivals  had  even  af- 
feded  to  receive  him  on  his  return  to 
Cairo,  in  a  fort  of  triumph,  and  both  he 
and  Ibrahim  thought  themfelves  in  a  (late 
of  fecurity  ;  when  on  the  i8ch  of  July, 
1777,  Ifmael,  JufTuf,  all  the  Beys  of 
their  party,  and  their  Mamalukes,  quit- 
ted the  town  to  get  pofTelTion  of  Old 
Cairo,  and  confequently  of  the  naviga- 
tion of  the  Nile,  giving  the  Chek  Elbe- 
let,  and  Murat  to  underftand,  at  the 
fame  time,  that  they  had  better  quietly 
fubmit,  than  wait  till  they  were  com- 
pelled to  it  by  the  fword  or  famine.  So 
fudden  a  revolt,  not  giving  them  time 
to  colled  their  Mamalukes,  they  had  no 
other  rcfource  than  by  taking  poiTefTion  of 
the  Caftle  of  Cairo,  the  commanders  of 
which  are  always  in  the  intereft  of  the 

ruling 


Baron  de  tott.  287 

ruling  party.     Murat  and  Ibrahim,  how- 
ever, daily  challenged,  and  ftreighten- 
ed  by  the  troops  which  befieged  them  in 
the  Caflle,  tried  in  vain  the  influence  of 
the  firmans  *  of  the  Pacha,  whom  they 
kept  a  prifoner,   but  who  probably  did 
not  wifli   to  extricate   them  from  their 
difficulty.     An  event  flill  more  difagree- 
able  for  Murat,  was  the  defertion  of  If- 
mael-Aga,  who,  we  have  feen,  was  his 
principal  agent  and  advifer.     This  man, 
inftcad  of  comins  to  the  Caftlc  to  follow 
the  fortune  of  his  mafter,  went  over  to 
the  other  party,  with  upwards  of  800,000 
lequins,    which    were    entrufted   to  his 
care.  This  treachery  foon  reduced  Murat 
and  Ibrahim  to  the  necelTity  of  flying  into 
Upper  Egypt   with    a    flender   retinue, 
with  which  they  took  pofTeflion  of  Minies. 
The  deferter,  Ifmael,   was  invefl.ed  with 
the  dignity  of  Bey,  as  well  as  Soliman 
Kiachef,   to  whom  they  made  a  prefent 
of  Murat's  houfe,   by  way  of  indemnity 
for  the   baftinado  he  had  received  there 
a  fortnight  before.     Peace  was  pubiiflied 

at 

•  An  ordinance  in  form  of  edift,  which  the 
Pachas  with  three  tails,  called  Vifirs  of  the  Bench, 
i/Tue  out  in  the  Grand  Signior's  name. 


a88  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

at  the  lame  time,  and  Juffuf-Bey,  fo 
blinded  by  his  pride,  as  not  to  fee  that 
he  had  only  been  the  inftrument  of  this 
revolution,was  already  imprudent  enough 
to  manifeft  his  intentions  of  governing 
his  aflbciates;  but  the  two  Ifmaels  were 
not  long  in  punifhing  him  for  having 
formed  fo  erroneous  an  opinion  of  their 
charaders;  they  aflafllnated  him  in  his 
own  houfe, — his  adherents  fuffered  the 
fame  fate,  and  the  new  Bey,  Soliman, 
was  degraded  from  his  dignity.  This 
event,  however,  by  no  means  promifed 
a  lading  peace,  and  we  may  fairly  pre- 
fume  that  the  deftrudlion  of  the  fugitives 
would  terminate  the  harmony  of  the  two 
tyrants. 

I  fliall  not  quit  Egypt  without  fub- 
mitting  to  hiftorians,  and  geographers, 
an  obfcrvation,  without  which,  the  par- 
ticulars of  the  landing  of  St.  Lewis,  at 
Damietta,  as  given  us  by  Joinville,  would 
be  unintelligible.  This  ocular  witnefs 
of  the  fad,  fays,  that  the  King's  fleet, 
difpcrfed  after  its  leaving  Cyprus,  col- 
ledled  together  at  Damietta,  where  Lewis 
landed  on  an  ifland  which  communicated 
with  the  town  by  a  bridge.     It  follows 

from 


BARON     DETOTT.  2^g 

from  this,  that  the  Nile  falling  at  thac 
time  inro  the  Tea,  perpendicularly  with 
the  coafl,  had  a  fmall  arm,  which  A  retch- 
ing to  the  eadward,  formed  an  ifland 
oppofite  to  Damietta.  This  branch  is 
now  become  the  main  bed  of  the  river; 
and  the  filling  up  of  the  ancient  mouth, 
by  joining  the  illand  to  the  Delta,  pre- 
fents  the  geographer,  at  this  day,  only 
with  a  tongue  of"  land,  which  is  covered 
by  the  town.  The  hiftorian  will  per- 
ceive, alfo,  that  if  this  change  had  taken 
place  before  the  arrival  of  the  Crufadcrs, 
their  fitaation  would  not  have  been  fo 
diitrelling  as  it  was;  .the  Delta  would 
not  only  have  furniihed  them  with  abund- 
ance of  provifions,  but  an  im,penetrabie 
afylum  againll  the  cavalry  of  the  Mama- 
lukes,  and  the  fituation  the  moft  advan- 
tageous for  the  purpofe  of  reducing  tkem. 
But  it  was  on  the  oppolir.e  bank  that 
Saint  Lewis  expofed  his  army  to  be  cut 
off  from  the  means  of  fubfiflcnce,  by 
giving  the  Soudan  the  opportunity  of 
uniting  all  his  forces  againft  him.  Join- 
ville  fpeaks  of  Tanis  too,  one  of  the  ca- 
nals of  Charkia,  as  a  branch  of  the  Nile;, 
and  appears  not  to  be  acquainted  with 
Vol.  IIL  N  the 


290  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

the  point  of  the  Delta  that  feparates 
them.  I  (hall  here  obferre,  alfo,  to  na- 
tural philofophcrs,  that  the  fort  of  St. 
Lewis,  built  on  the  point  of  the  tongue 
of  land,  formerly  the  ifle,  on  which  the 
landing  was  effeded,  is  ftill  bathed  by 
the  waters  of  the  fea  j  and  if  we  confider 
that  the  epocha  of  its  conflruclion  mud 
necefifarily  be  coeval  with  the  exiftence 
of  the  harbour  of  Frejus,  from  which  the 
Saint-King  embarked  on  his  expedition 
to  Egypt,  we  may  conclude  that  the  fill- 
ing  of  that  harbour,  and  its  diftance 
from  the  water  at  this  day,  mud  be  at- 
tributed only  to  the  conftant  accumula- 
tions of  the  foil  and  other  matters,  fince 
it  is  evident,  from  the  prcfent  flate  of 
fort  St.  Lewis,  that  there  has  been  no 
fenfible  alteration  in  the  level  of  the  fea. 
After  1  had  reimbarked  at  Alexandria, 
the  frigate  failed  along  the  coaft  of 
Egypt,  (leering  clear  of  the  (hallow  rocks 
that  render  it  inacceflible  as  far  as  Dami- 
etta,  the  road  of  which  we  crofl'ed,  and 
bent  our  courfe  towards  Joppa,  where 
the  dock  is  hardly  large  enough  to  fhclter 
a  few  fmall  veflels.  We  anchored  in  the 
road,  at  near  two  leagues  diftance  from 

the 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  29I 

the  beach.  The  frigate  took  this  ftation 
on  the  coaft  of  Syria,  to  enable  me  to  go 
to  Rames  :  I  went  to  this  town  of  Palef- 
tinc  on  horfeback,  where  the  Cbriftian 
Solicitor  of  the  Holy  Land  came  from 
Jerufalem  to  have  an  interview  with  me. 
This  Recollet  Friar  had  with  him,  by 
way  of  efcort,  the  four  principal  Arabs 
of  the  Mountain.  Such  was  the  influ- 
ence of  his  money,  that  on  receiving  my 
meflcnger,  he  made  thcfe  Princes,  who 
had  long  been  at  variance,  conclude  a 
truce  for  the  folc  purpofe  of  coming 
more  conveniently  to  fee  me. 

The  Governor  of  Jerufalem,  who  had 
arranged  this  pacification,  was  defirous 
that  I  fhould  avail  myfelf  of  it,  to  wait 
upon  him  ;  but  the  more  defirous  he  ap- 
peared of  giving  me  a  good  reception, 
the  lefs  was  1  tempted  to  pay  the  ex- 
pences  of  fuch  a  vifit ;  befides  that  the 
importance  of  the  Solicitor  in  the  country 
appeared  to  me  too  well  cftabliflied  for 
me  to  add  any  thing  to  it,  and  the  relief 
with  which  the  Holy  Diredlory  gratified 
me,  left  me  nothing  more  to  wi(h  for. 

The  country  between  the  fea  and  Jeru- 

faiem  is  fiat,  and  for  about  fix  leagues  jn 

N  2  bread tfc 


292  MEMOIRS    OF     THE 

•breadth  very  fertile.  The  Indian  fig- 
tree*,  of  which  the  hedges  are  formed, 
fcrves  as  an  infurmountable  barrier  for 
the  fecurity  of  the  fields.  Their  trade 
confifts  in  cotton,  and  their  induftry  in 
Jpinning  ;  and  this  part  of  the  Holy  Land 
is  particularly  curious  from  the  vefliges 
of  the  Crufaders,  v/ith  which  it  is  co- 
vered, 

Mahonnetanifm,  whilft  it  deftroys  thefe 
monuments,  ilill  retains  the  means  of 
profiting  by  the  pious  enthufiafm  that 
raifed  them.  But  the  policy  of  the  Turks 
in  admitting  the  Greeks  and  the  Latins 
to  partake  of  the  holy  places,  in  order  to 
benefit  by  their  divifions,  reckoned  more 
upon  their  pride,  than  upon  their  devo- 
tion. So  fubflantial  a  revenue  has  fur- 
pafled  their  expcflations ;  the  quarrels 
between  the  adherents  of  the  two  rites  are 
inexhaufl:ibl€;  aod,  thanks  to  the  gold 
of  Spain  1  the  government  of  Jerufalem 
is  looked  upon  as  one  of  the  mod  lucra- 
tive fituations  for  oppreflion.  That 
which  the  Greeks  had  jufl:  experienced 
on  my  arrival  at   Rames,    covered  the 

Catholics 

*  This  plant  is  alfo  called  in  French,  La  Ra- 
quette. 


BARON    DE      TOTT.  I^X 

Catholics  with  glory,  and  the  cavalcade 
of  their  Solicitor  was  one  of  the  confe- 
quences  of  that  triumph,  lie  infilled  on 
conducting  mt  to  Joppa,  and  I  was  really 
inchanted  to  fee  the  uniform  of  theRecol- 
lets  aftride  upon  a  beautiful  Arabian 
horfe,  richly  harnefled  and  caparifoned. 

On  approaching  the  coall,  they  fliewed 
me  the  horrid  pyramid  ereded  by  Me- 
hemet-Bey.  This  mender  had  formed 
it  0^ fifteen  hundred  heads  he  had  ordered 
to  be  cut  off,  after  taking  of  this  town, 

Jaffa,  or  Joppa,  forms  a  feparate  go- 
vernment, and  is  the  appendage  of  a 
Sultana,  who  farms  out  the  cuflom- 
houfe  ;  but  the  depopulation  of  this 
town  mult  necefiarily  have  diminifhed 
its  commerce.  It  confifts  at  prefent 
only  in  linen  and  rice,  which  are  fent 
from  Damietta,  for  the  confumption  of 
Napouloufc,  Rames,  and  Jerufalem, 
and  the  numerous  hords  of  Arabs  en- 
camped on  the  plaias  of  Gaza  j  in  ex- 
change for  which,  Damietta  receives 
clumfy  glafs-ware,  made  at  Ebrom,  raw- 
cotton,  cummin,  and  particularly  Jop- 
pa foap,  which  article,  by  an  immemo- 
rial grant,  pays  only  hnlf  duties  in 
Egypt. 

N  3  After 


^94  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

After  vifiting  the  Solicitor,  the  Con- 
vent of  his  order,  and  adopting  all  the 
meafures  he  thought  necedary,  this  monk, 
who  was  not  in  Pr'eft's  orders,  infilled 
on  giving  me  the  (Iron ged  reilimony  of 
his  refpe^tt,  by  beftowing  his  benedidli- 
on  on  me  in  the  face  of  Ifrael ;  but  in 
fpice  of  this  pr^fer'/ative,  the  croud  who 
followed  us  to  the  beach,  were  very  near 
feeing  me  fwallowed  up  by  the  breakers 
on  the  bar,  which  the  fiilors  were  bold 
enough  to  atreinpr,  and  which  they  could 
hardly  pafs  with  the  utmort:  exertions  of 
their  fkill. 

On  my  return  to  the  frigate,  fhe  let  fail 
for  St.  John  of  Acra,  where  wc  anchor- 
ed the  next  morning.  Dgezar,  Pacha 
ofScid,  was  then  at  that  place;  he  fent 
a  very  prefling  invitation  to  me  on  land- 
ing, to  come  and  fee  him,  but  I  was  ve- 
ry far  from  having  any  fuch  intention. 
The  cruelties  for  which  he  was  celebrat- 
ed, and  the  oppreiTions  which  made  him 
feared,  infpired  me  only  with  the  defire 
of  mortifying  him.  It  was  eafy  to  dif- 
cover,  from  the  language  of  the  ofHccr 
he  had  fent  to  pay  his  compliments  to 
me,  that  my  credit  at  the  Porte  was  the 

chief 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  295 

chief  motive  of  his  politcncfs,   and  I  did 
not  let  flip   this  opportunity  of  reviving 
the  uneafinefs   he    had  long  been  under, 
from  the  refentment  of  the  Grand  Signi- 
o^.     I  anfvvered  him,  ^'  that  as  we  were 
both   travellers^  it   was    not  worth  while 
to     become    acquainted. '* — The   ofiicer 
did    not  imagine  that  this  anfwer  would 
prevent    me  from    paying    a  vifit  to  his 
maftcr,  at  his  place  of  refidence  :  but  the 
Pacha  felt  all  the  bitternefs  of  il  ;  for  the 
word  traveller^  ^the  literal  fenfe  of  which 
could    not   apply  to  him  in  his  govern- 
ment, was  taken  by  him  as  I  intended  it, 
— in  its  figurative  fenfe  of  deaths  as  appli- 
ed   by   the  Turks.     He  could    not  but 
feel,    in  fad,   that  had  it  not  been  for  the 
weaknefs   of  the  Porte,   which  no  longer 
puniflied  any  diforder,  he  mull  long  fince 
have  paid  with  his  head,  the  horrible  ty- 
ranny he  had  exercifed.     He  carried  it  to 
fuch  a  length,  as  even  to  take  a  pride  in 
the  reputation  of  cruelty,   and  this  mon- 
fter  afifumedthe  name  of  Dgezar,  Butch- 
er^ in  which  he  gloried  j   and  it  was  a  ti- 
tle   he    richly  merited,   by  immuring  a- 
live  a  number  of  perfons    of  the  Greek 
communion,   when  he  rebuilt   the  walls 
N  4  M 


-296  MEMOIRS     OF    THE 

of  Baruth,  to  defend  it  from  the  invafion 
of  the  Rufiians.  The  heads  of  thefe  un- 
fortunate vidlims  are  ftill  to  be  feen, 
\Vtiich  the  Butcher  had  left  expofed,  the 
better  to  enjoy  their  torments.  It  was  dn 
fuch  fcrocicHis  principles  as  thefc  that 
Dgezar  regulated  all  his  condudl.  His 
own  fecurity  obliging  him  to  keep  in 
pay  a  fet  of  banditti,  he  had  fitted  out  a 
Jittle  fleet  compofed  of  them,  with  which 
he  harrafTed  the  coail:,  whilrt  a  body  of 
horfe,  of  the  fame  charader,  attended  at 
his  landing.  Dgezar  Pacha,  thus  fitu- 
ated  at  Acra,  finding  that  he  could  ob- 
tain nothing  from  me,  was  defirous,  at 
lead:,  of  being  faluted  by  the  frigate  ; 
but  this  man,  as  ignorant  as  he  was 
liaughty,  thought  he  had  only  to  (how 
himftlf  on  the  beach,  with  a  brilliant 
cavalcade,  to  receive  a  mark  of  refped, 
to  Vkhich  be  could  only  have  any  preten- 
fion  by  ^mbarking  on  the  water.  1-Ie 
had  no  doubt,  therefore,  that  the  fi- 
lence  of  the  frigate  was  owino-  to  the 
difiant  manner  in  which  1  had  treated 
Viim.  To  revenge  this  fuppofsd  aliront, 
he  fcnt  orders  to  Seid  not  to  falute  the 
frigate  on  her  arrival,  taking  care,  at  the 

fame 


BARON   p£   :TOTT.  ^c^/ 

fame  lime,  to  let  me  know  the  difpofi- 
tion  he  hadmade;  but  thisinggnificant 
mark  of  his  refentmcnt,  had  no  better 
ef^c<^  than  his  firft  advances,  1  fent  him 
for  anfwer,^^  that  I  thankedhimfor  hav- 
ing apprized, me  of  his  intentions,  it  be- 
ing mine  alfo  to  fupprefs  thofe  prefents 
which  an  abufive  cuftom  had  eftablifn- 
ed.'* 

The  town  of  Acra  is  fituated  in  a  tole- 
rably fpacious  bay,  and  protedled  /rom 
the  foutherly  winds  by  Mount  Cat  mel  f. 
The  principal  walls  of  the  church,  built 
by  the  Knights  Hofpicalers,  are  Hill,  to 
be  fee n  here,  which  they  dedicated  to 
St.  John;  and  this  name,  joined  to  that 
of  the  town,  ha^  made  it  known.under  the 
name  of  St.  John  of  Acra.  Commerciiji 
fpeculations  could  not  have  been  begun 
in  this  place,  until  a  long  time  after  t!ie 
retreat  of  the  Crufaders.  Thefe  cnihu- 
N  5  fialb 

^  f  The  religous  of  the  Catholic  pc:f'aa,fion,who 
ierve  the  Grotto  of  the  Prophet  Eiiss,  keep  an  inn 
for  the  pilgrims  who  vifu  it,  and  did  rib.ite,  inftcad 
of  relics,  of  which  they  have  none>  <jeodes,  fa  Con 
of  chryftallization,  larger  than  ar  a  ople,  and  hollow 
in  the  middle^  of  every  fliape,  v/'nich  the  country 
abounds  with,  and  which  they  pafs  for  petrified 
fruits. 


29S  MIMOI&S    OF    THE 

fiafts  were  no  greater  favourers  of  com- 
merce than  the  Turks,  who  to  govern, 
have  always  been  the  plunderers  of  Syria. 
It  was  only,  therefore,  under  the  quiet 
and  beneficent  reign  of  Cheik-Taher, 
that  the  plentiful  crops  multiplied  our 
cflablifhments,  and  it  is  fince  the  tragical 
end  of  that  Prince,  that  commerce  has 
begun  to  decline.  The  trade  here  con- 
fifts  principally  in  cotton,  which  was  of  a 
fuperior  quality  before  the  planter  gave 
the  grain  to  be  feparated  by  others,  which 
was  executed  fo  much  better  by  him- 
felf. 

I  fet  out  from  Acra  for  Seid,  the  refi- 
dence  of  theKinor's  Conful  General.  This 
town  is,  in  fome  degree,  the  head  quar- 
ters of  our  commerce  in  Syria.  We  an- 
chored there  along-fide  of  a  Ihip  of  war 
belonging  to  the  Grand  Signior,  the 
Captain  of  which  did  not  feem  inclined 
to  (how  us  much  politenefs.  I  have  al- 
ready mentioned,  that  the  fortrefs  was 
forbid  fainting  us  by  order  of  the  Pacha; 
but  the  Dgezar  had  not  forefeen,  that 
durin'g  my  refidencc  at  Conftantinople, 
1  fhould  have  happened  to  fuperlntend 
the  conftrufli^jn  of  the  very  Turkilh  ca- 

rjivel 


BARON    DE    TOTT,  299 

ravel  which  was  in  the  harbour  of  Seid ; 
that  I  had  caft  all  its  artillery  ;    and  that 
the  Captain  himfelffhould  have  been  in- 
debted to  me  for  his  promotion.     This 
was  the  fir  (I  vc  (Tel  of  the  Grand  Signior, 
too,  which  difplayed  the  green  flag  I  had 
prevailed  on    the  Porte  to  adopt.     The 
Captain   no  fooner  heard   that  I  was  on 
board  the  frigate,   than  he  fcnt  to  pay  me 
his  compliments  ;    and  I  thought  it  was 
neceflary  to    make  him  feci,  that  the  in- 
dependent condud  of  the  Pacha  of  Seid, 
(hould  have  induced    him  to  (how  more 
refped  to  the  King's  flag,  as  that  of  the 
Grand  Signior  was  leis  refpedled  m  Sy- 
ria than  elfewhere;  he  anfwercd  this  re- 
prefentation  accordingly  .wUh  nine  guns, 
which   we  returned  hiiP'i    H<^  camc^^af- . 
terwards  to  the  Coafpr^  to  fee  me,  to  apo--^ 
logi^e  for  hi^  J4e;glige,ncie,  and  tQ  invite 
rne  on   board  hi§  ftiip,.  where.  I  .was  fa-; 
luted  on    entering,: arxd-,on  quitting  it.  . 
This  cannoAadev^be<:ame,  a  freih  fubjed 
of  vexation  for  rthecPacha,  .whom r the 
Turkifh  Captain  didli-notttrCiat ,with  Oiwch  . 
refpe6l.  To  avoid,  thcrefote^  forne.tiiew  . 
aflfront,  Dgczar  determined  not  to  enter 
the  harbour  before  night  5  but  Mr,   le 

Baron 


300  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

Baron  de  Durfort  faluted  his  little  fleet 
atfunrife;  and  this  unexpedled  mark  of 
attention  perfuaded  him  that  1  (liould 
trecit  him  better  at  Sein  than  at  Acra. 
He  again  invited  me  to  come  and  fee 
him;  but  although  I  underftood  that 
he  intended  me  a  diftinguifhed  recepti- 
on, I  continued  unfhaken  in  my  firft  re- 
Jblution,  well  convinced  that  I  acquired 
more  real  honour  in  (howing  my  detef- 
tation  to  this  moniler,  than  in  receiving 
fome  frivolous  mark  of  diRindion  from 
hinr.'. 

It  is  to  accomplifli  my  object  in  writ- 
ing thefe  Memoirs,  that  I  have  thought 
it  neceffary  to  dcfcribe  the  character  of 
Dgezar,  and  my  condufl  refpecling  iiim. 
This  lion,  let  loofe  againft  humanity, 
who  tyrannized  over  the  province,  and 
kept  back  two  years  tribute  from  the 
Grand  Signior  with  impunity,  humbled 
by  a  foreigner,  and  reftrained  in  his  re- 
fentment  by  a  fingle  frigate,  of  whofe 
orders  he  was  ignorant,  by  painting  the 
wcaknefs  of  the  defpor,  and  the  cowar- 
dice of  his  fubordinate  oiTicers,  who  awe 
him  at  a  djdance,  gives,  at  one    flroke 

of 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  'JO  I 

ofthe  pencil,  the  pi6lure  of  the  Ottoman 
empire. 

The  town  of  Seid,  the  anci-ent  Sidoity 
Is  fituated   in  the  middle   ofthe  coa(t  of 
Syria,  at  the  foot  of  Lebanon,  and  Anti- 
Lebanon.      The    Mutuaiis   inhabit  the 
fouthern,  and   the  Drufes  the  northern 
part  of  that  chain  of  mountains  which 
extend   along  the   coaft,   and    preferve 
rheir  independence  in  fpite  ofthe  various 
attempts   made   by    the   Porte   to  bring 
them   into  more   immediate  fubjedlion. 
It  is  true  that  the  Drufes  are  not  alwaya- 
exadb  in  paying  the  tribute  agreed  upon. 
The  Pacha  of  Seid    is  even  obliged,  for 
the  fafety  of  his  own  domains,    to    farm 
them  out  to  the  powers  ofthe  mountain  ; 
but  this  method   of  avoidinor  their  rava- 
ges,  does  not  always  fecure  the  receipt  of 
his    revenues  j    and     thefe    compulfory 
farmings     are     productive   of    quarrels, 
wherein  the  nature  of  the  difpute  is  fre- 
quently changed  by   incidental  circum- 
ftances.      The    Mutual  is,    who    inhabit 
Anti- Lebanon,  from  Seid  to  Acra,    are 
lefs  numerous  than   the  Drufes  -,  but  the 
caftles  they   dwell  in,    render  them    as 
ready  for  an  infurrection,  and  as  difficult 

to 


302  MEMOIRS    OF    THB 

to  reduce.     The   fummit  of  every   hill 
fcrvcs  them  as   a  fortrefs.     Each  propri- 
etor of  landis  a  great  vaflal  ;  and   this 
people,  who  are  fanatics  in  the  precepts 
of  Ali,   have  a  particular  abhorrence  for 
the  Sunnite   Mahometans,   whom    they 
maifacre  without  pity  whenever  they  can 
find    the  opportunity.       The    Mutualis 
have  agreed  to  pay  an  annual   tribute  of 
two  hundred  purfes   for  the  free    enjoy- 
ment of  their  mountains,   and  their  feig- 
noriesj  but  they  are  more  fcrupulous   in 
enjoying  thofe  advantages,   than  in    ob- 
ferving  the  conditions  annexed  to  their 
enjoyment;    fo   that   the  Drufes,  as  well 
as  the  Mutualis,  equally  difficult  of  re- 
flrainr,  by  contracting    the  authority  of 
the  Pacha  within  too  narrow  limits>  have 
rendered  it  more  heavy^for  the  inhabitants 
ofSeid. — Between  this   town  and  Acra, 
is  to  be  feen  the  town  of  Sour,  the  ccle-. 
bratcd  Tyre,   which  is  in  fubjedlion  to  a 
chief  of  the  Mutualis  ;  and  this  cradle  of 
navigation  ilill  poiTeffes  the  beft  harbour 
of  Syria:  but  a  few  cargoes  of  tobacco, 
or  of  corn,^  belonging  to  the  merchants 
of  Seid,  are   the   only  objedls  of  com.- 
merceof  this  famous  city,  excepting  the 

article 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  JOJ 

article  of  thread,  which  is  brought  to 
market  by  the  country  people,  and  which 
the  French  have  the  exclufive  privilege 
of  purchafing§. 

If  our  merchants  themfelves  have  not 
been  exempt  from  the  oppreflions  of  the 
the  Pacha,  it  is  only  becaufe  they  have 
not  hitherto  fhewn  firmnefs  enough  to 
awe  him,  for  this  Governor  knows  well 
the  danger  to  which  the  fury  of  the  peo- 
ple would  expofe  him,  if  by  his  mifcon- 
dudb  he  compelled  our  merchants  to 
withdraw  themfelves. 

On  quitting  Seid,  the  frigate  continu- 
ed to  run  along  the  coaft,   and  come  to 

anchor 

§  This  circumftance  paints  the  Turkifh  govern- 
Hient,  which  neither  knows  how  to  grant,  or  how 
to  withhold  judicioofly.  One  of  the  French  mer- 
ch  ncs  fettled  at  Seid,  preiides  over  the  public  mar^ 
ket;  the  Janiflaries  attached  to  the  fervice  of  that 
nation,  have  the  care  of  the  police ;  our  brokers  fix 
the  price  of  the  thread,-  the  people  of  the  country 
are  not  allowed  to  bay  it, — and,  confequenrly, 
much  Icfs  ftrangers, — no  monopoly,  can  be  more 
manifeft*;  but  it  is  fo  well  eftabliihed  in  the  minds 
of  thepeoplci  that  they  would  themfelves  revolt 
againft  the  government,  were  it  difpofed  to  put  a 
flop  to  it ;  and  the  fpinfters  prefer  the  certainty  of 
a  quick  fale  to  the  uncertain  profits  of  a  higher 
price,  for  which  they  might  be  obliged  to  wait. 


304  MEMOIRS     OF     THE 

anchor  within  fome  fiiallows  at  the  bot- 
tonn  of  the  road  of  Baruth.  This  town 
is  built  on  a  tongue  of  land  that  advan- 
ces  in  the  form  of  a  peninfula,  the  plat- 
form of  which  is  ornamented  with  a  wood 
of  pine  trees,  planted  in  rows.  The 
beauty  and  variety  of  the  gardens  around 
the  town,  and  the  purity  of  the  air,  had 
drawn  together  a  great  number  of  inha- 
bitants j  and  during  the  whole  period 
that  the  Porte  had  transferred  the  Lord- 
fliip  of  Baruth  to  the  Emir  of  the  Drufes, 
who  inhabit  the  neighbouring  mountains, 
the  mildnefs  of  the  government,  and 
above  all  the  fpirit  of  toleration,  which 
placed  the  Drufe,  the  Mahometan,  and 
the  Chriftian,  on  the  fame  footing,  in- 
duced a  great  number  of  merchants  to 
fettle  there  ;  but  fince  Dgezar  has  taken 
poffeflion  of  this  town,  to  deflroy  its  com- 
merce, and  force  it  to  concentre  itfclf 
in  Seid,  the  merchants  of  Baruth  have 
abandoned  it,  and  retired  into  the  moun- 
tains, there  to  wait  for  the  deflru-flion 
of  the  tyrant.  His  objefb  was  to  increafc 
the  income  of  the  Cuilom-houfe  at  Seid, 
which  is  always  formed  by  the  Pacha  ^ 
but  his  ignorance  could  not  difcover  that 

fpecuiitions 


BARON    DE    TOTT.  305 

jpeculations  of  revenue,  when  they  ftrike 
at  induftry,  cannot,  for  that  reafon,  ever 
be  calculated  on  any  principles  of  com- 
merce. 

The  mountains  of  Caflervan  extend  a- 
long  the  Tea  coaft  from  Baruth,  fix 
leagues  to  the  northward ;  they  are  un- 
der thofe  of  Lebanon,  and  form  their 
bafe.  They  arc  peopled  by  Catholics, 
who  live  in  perfe61  harmony  with  the 
Drufes,  their  neighbours,  of  whom  I 
fhali  foon  fpeak  more  particularly. 

Tripoli,  in  Syria,  which  was  the  next 
place  we  went  to,  after  quitting  Baruth, 
is  fituated  at  a  fmall  diitance  from  the 
road  for  the  fliipping,  and  the  number  of 
gardens  v^hich  furround  it,  would  make 
it  a  delightful  abode,  was  not  the  air  fo 
unhealthy  in  fummer.  Its  territory  which 
extends  and  rifes  up  to  Mount  Leba- 
non J,  abounds  in  vineyards.  Every 
little  eminence  produces  wine  of  a  diffe- 
rent 

X  It  19  in  that  part  of  the  mountains  adjoining 
Tripoli,  that  we  may  ftill  fee  the  fo  much  boaftcd 
cedars  of  Lebanon.  1  was  afTured  that  their  anti- 
quity was  the  raofl:  remarkable  circumrtance  about 
them,  and  I  difpenfed  with  going  to  do  homage  to 
them. 


206  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

rent  quality,  and  the  golden  wine,  (le 
vin  (TOr)  is  diftinguifhed  above  every 
other. 

The  abundance  of  filk,  which  is  cul- 
tivated throughout  Lebanon,  and  is 
coUeded  by  the  merchaocs  at  Tripoli,  is 
the  principal  objed  of  commercial  fpe- 
culations.  The  annual  exports  of  this 
article  for  France,  amount  to  {^m^k^  or 
eight  thoufand  quintals,  the  greatelt 
part  of  which  is  expedited  from  the  other 
ports,  which  have  no  returns,  and  the 
bills  fent  for  that  purpofe  from  Conftan- 
tinople,  are  always  negociated  with  the 
Pacha.  The  Pacha  who  commanded 
there  was  the  fon  of  the  Pacha  of  Da- 
mafcus.  I  ftood  in  need  of  his  affift- 
ancc  to  furnifh  me  with  the  means  of 
travelling  by  land  to  Aleppo,  and  as  he 
was  not  then  at  Tripoli,  I  was  glad  to 
hear  that  1  fhould  find  him  at  Lattaquey; 
but  the  frigate  not  been  able  to  anchor 
in  the  port,  from  the  negligence  of  the 
Turks,  who  have  fuffered  the  harbour 
to  be  choaked  up  with  the  ballad  thrown 
out  by  the  fliips,  (he  brought  to,  and 
remained  there  till  the  return  of  the  boat 
which  carried  me  to  the  harbour  of  Lat- 
taquey. 


BARON    DE    TOTT.  3O7 

taquey.  Its  entrance  is  defended  by  a 
caftle,  in  fo  ruinous  a  (lace,  that  had  I 
not  heard  the  artillery  that  faluted  me,  I 
fhould  have  pafled  without  perceiving 
any  fortification.  The  Chief  Ofncer  of 
the  Cuftonns  received  me  on  my  landing, 
with  all  the  refpedl  due  to  my  miffion, 
and  the  ftile  of  his  civilities  gave  me  a 
favourable  opinion  of  his  mafter  *. 

After  repofing   feme  time  in  a  kiofk, 
where    they   brought  me  fome  refrelh- 

mcnts, 

•  The  manner  in  which  the  dlfpofitiort  of  the 
mafter  influences  alt  his  dependants,  is  one  of  the 
moft  remarkable  circumftances  in  the  manners  of 
the  Turks;  it  feems  as  if  defpotifm  would  be  im- 
perfedl,  without  fubjugating  the  vtry  fentiments. 
The  attendants  of  a  Turk  are  on  the  watch  to  ob- 
ferve  the  manner  in  which  any  perfon  is  received 
by  their  patrons,  to  treat  him  in  the  fame  manner 
on  his  departure;  unlucky  he,  who  fhall  have  re- 
ceived a  kick  from  him !  They  take  the  liberty 
likewife  to  conftrue  his  intentions.  A  Pacha  had 
taken  a  great  friendftiip  for  an  European  mer- 
chant,—he  could  never  be  without  him  ;  and  all 
his  court  gave  entertainments  to  the  llranger.  The 
latter  was  fubjefl  to  the  gout,  and  the  Pacha  who 
had  unfortunately  ftudied  a  little  medicine,  had  a 
mind  to  cure  his  friend  ;  and  when  he  knew,  that 
he  was  in  the  moll  excruciating  pain,  he  made  tvVo 
of  his  fervants  go,   with  orders  to  give  him   fifty 

flrokes 


308  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

ments,  I  went  to  Lattaquey.  This  town, 
the  ancient  haodicea^  is  bulk  on  a  plat- 
form which  overlooks  the  harbour.  It 
flill  exhibits  fome  veftiges  of  its  ancient 
fplendour,  and  its  trade  maintains,  at 
this  day,  many  handfome  houfes.  It 
was  not  long  before  the  Pacha  of  Tripo- 
li fent  to  compliment  me  on  my  arrival, 
with  afTurances  of  his  defire  to  fee  nic, 
and  render  me  any  fervice.  This  difpo- 
fition  was  very  favourable  for  my  intend- 
ed journey  to  Aleppo,  and  I  obtained 
from   this   Pacha  more   aiTiftance   than 

was 

ftrokes  of  a  ilick  on  the  foles  of  his  feet.  Thefe 
felJews  who  were  not  fo  learned  as  their  mafter, 
aftonlftied  at  firll,  at  a  remedy  that  did  not  feem  to 
be  of  a  very  frie;ndly  nature,  were  at  length  per- 
fuadcd  that  the  inhdel  had  given  offence,  and  ex- 
ecuted their  orders  accordingly,  with  the  utroofl 
rigour,  of  which  they  did  not  fail  to  boaft  on  their 
return  to  the  Pacha.  *'  How  wretches,"  faid  he, 
'^  you  have  dared  to  rreat  my  friend  ill  ?  The  fifty 
fltokes  I  ordered  were  a  remedy, — the  infults  you 
have  added,  are  an  offence," — and  he  immediately 
ordered  each  of  them  one  hundred  ;  from  thence  he 
went  to  beg  pardon  of  his  friend  for  the  inlolence  of 
his  fcrvants  who  had  prefumed  to  make  an  addition 
to  the  remedy.  The  European  would  readily  have 
difpenfed  with  this  remedy,  but  he  foon  had  rea- 
fon  to  commend  it,  and  was  pei/e^^ly  cured  of  the 
difoFder. 


BARON    DE    TOTT.  309 

wasneceflary;  he  infifted  even  on  add- 
ting  every  honour,  and  feemed  to  fear  a 
cenfure  from  the  Porte,  if,  by  negledt- 
ing  to  procure  me  refpecft,  I  fliould  hap- 
pen to  be  expofed  to  any  infults  in  the 
mountains  I  had  to  crofs.  On  my  return 
from  this  vifit,  his  firft  Equerry  brought 
me  a  horfe,  fent  by  his  mafter,  afluring 
me  at  the  fame  time,  that  he  could, 
from  experience,  anfwer  for  his  being 
fure-footed  amongft  the  (leepeft  rocks. 

As  I  had  procured  at  Tripoli,  in  Sy- 
ria, tents  and   other    neceflaries,   every 
thing  was  foon  prepared  for  my  depar- 
ture.    We   fet  out  with  the  guards  fent 
by  the  Pacha  to  efcort  me,    and  pitched 
our  firft  encampment  on  the  banks  of  a 
river  at  the  foot  of  Mount  Lebanon.     I 
had  fcarcely  difmounted,  before  a  Drufe 
of  the  Mountain,  prefented  me  a  com- 
plaint againft   a  French  merchant,  his 
debtor,  againft  whom  I  had   already  re- 
ceived fevcral  of  a  fimilar  nature.  Whilft 
the  necefTary  orders  were  expediting  for 
the  verification,  and  payment  of  the  debt, 
I  was  glad  of  the  opportunity  of  con ver- 
fing  with  a  man  who  had  ftruck  me  by 
the  noble  ipanlinefs  with  which   he   had 

come 


3IO  MEMOI  RS    OF    THE 

come  to  demand  juftice;  and  this  inter- 
val gave  me  time  to  get  a  few  particu- 
lars from  him  refpe6ling  the  manners 
andcuflomsof  the  Drufes,  which  I  fliall 
fubjoin  with  fome  further  ideas  on  the 
fubjca. 

This  people,  comprifed  under  the  fame 
denomination,  are  divided  into  different 
feds,  who  mutually  deteft  each  other ; 
but  who,  neverthelefs,  invariably  unite 
in  defence  of  their  common  liberty,  and 
by  an  uniform  prejudice  againfl:  the  Ma- 
hometans. This  difpofition,  however, 
theymanifcfl  lefs  than  any  other.  When 
their  affairs  call  them  into  the  Turkifh 
towns,  they  frequent  the  Mofques,  but 
prefer  our  churches,  when  they  can  go 
to  them  without  danger  j  yet  do  they 
appear  as  far  removed  from  the  dogmas 
of  the  Gofpel,  as  from  the  precepts  of 
the  Coran.  It  is  evident,  from  what 
can  be  colleded,  that  the  greateft  part 
of  the  Drufes  are  fec^tarics  of  Haken-Bamr- 
Illah  *,  Caliph  of  Egypt,  of  the  family 
of  the  Phatimites.  Thefe  mountaineers, 
in  deifying  him,  have   called  him  Ha- 

kem- 

•  An  Arabian  word  Tignifying,    **  ruling  by  the 
order  of  God/*^ 


iJARO  N     DE    TOTT.  Jll 

kem-Bamri  f,  and  have  only  preferved 
the  name  of  his  Apoftle,  Dourft,  This 
etymology,  taken  from  their  facred 
books,  is  fufficient  to  overturn  that  which 
Mr.  Pujet  de  Saint  Pierre  has  given.  He 
makes  the  Drufes  defcendants  of  the 
Comte  de  Dreux,  an  origin  too  abfurd  to 
merit  a  ferious  difcuffion.  The  Caliph 
Hakem,  and  his  Apoftle,  feem  to  have 
refined  upon  the  contempt  which  fedta- 
ries  of  all  ages  and  countries  have  fhewn 
for  humanity;  they  have  divided  their 
followers  into  three  clafTes;  the  priefts, 
the  ele(5l  or  initiated,  and  the  people. 
This  latter  clafs,  who  are  fcarcely  ac- 
quainted with  a  few  focial  principles, 
without  which  mankind  cannot  fleep  in 
fecurity,  is  obliged  to  •  repofe  its  hopes 
of  falvation  on  the  credit  of  the  two  for- 
mer. It  is  on  this  feeble  fupport,  how- 
ever, that  the  Drufes  believe  in  theeled 
of  God,  and  contemn  every  contrary 
opinion.  Hakem  has  promifed  them 
that  they  (hall  be  the  heirs  of  the  Turks, 
who  are  to  be  deftroyed  by  the  Chrifti- 
ans.  They  muft  have  imagined,  no 
doubt,  that  this  prophecy  was  on  the 
point  of  being  accomplifhed  during  the 

laft 
t  Ruler  of  his  order. 


312  MEMOIRS    OF   THE 

laft  war  with  the  RufTians  -,  and  this  opi- 
nion has  always  made  ihem  give  a  deci- 
ded preference  to  the  Chriflians  ;  but  it 
is  probable  that  their  Prophet  has  but 
ill -calculated  the  order  of  fuccefTion. 

By  the  hierarchy  eftablifhed  in  this 
fed,  all  their  religious  rites  are  impene- 
trable to  the  eyes  of  the  profane ;  even 
their  books  *  are  carefully  preferved  ; 
that  of  the  priefts  in  particular,  (called 
The  Per  Excellentiam  Book  ;J  it  appears 
impofliDle  to  procure  a  fight  of  it.  h 
is  pretty  generally  believed,  however, 
that  the  Drufes  worfhip  a  fort  of  /idol, 
.-which  they  preferve  underground,  where 
the  eled  only  are  allowed  to  enter. 

Some  women  of  the  Drufes,  convert- 
ed to  the  Chriftian  faith,  have  unvailed, 
too,  other  ceremonies,  not  lefs  abfurdi 
but  as  they  were  not  in  the  fecret,  their 
accufationis  not  a  fufficient  title  for  that 
accuracy  I  wifh  to  obferve. 

Drufes  of  different  feds  inhabit  that 
part  of  the  mountains  I  pafTed  over  ;  the 
Turks  call  them  Nuferis,  orAnferisj  but 
this  people  rejed  boththefc  appellations, 

and 

•  The  Drufes  are  forbid  to  eat  with  any  perfon  in 
power,  for  fear  of  partaking  of  ill  gotten  wealth. 


BARON     D  E    TOT  T.  313 

and  preferve  that  of  the  Drufes,  without 
pretending  to  the  glory  of  impenetrable 
myfteries.  One  fees  the  greateft  part  of 
them,  in  fadl,  pay  particular  adoration  to 
the  fun  J  they  bend  the  knee  three  times 
before  him,  on  his  rifing,  and  feem  to 
endeavour  to  feize  with  their  hands  the 
firfl  rays  of  that  luminary,  to  purify 
themfelves,  by  rubbing  their  bodies  with 
them.  Their  worfhip  is  fuppofed  to  lafl: 
only  'till  the  evening  ;  and  1  was  aflured, 
that  they  indemnify  themfelves  during 
the  night,  for  their  continence  in  the 
day.  Another  fe6l  is  faid  to  worfhip  the 
moon,  and  to  referve  their  pleafures  fpr 
the  day. 

Wefindalfoin  thefe  mountains  fome 
Gynecolaters^i  whofe  worfhip,  although 
lefs  myflerious  than  that  which  the  Chi- 
nefe  offer  to  Lingam,   fcems  to  be  found- 

VoL.  III.  O  ed 

*  Gynecolaters : — This  word  fignifies  *  Adorer 
of  Women  j'  but  in  the  acceptation  of  the  term,  in 
what  is  called  *  good  company,'  it  cannot  be  appli- 
cable to  the  Drufes. — The  Author  has  formed  this 
Greek  word  out  of  refpedt  to  the  Ladies. 

M.  Baron  de  I'ott  informed  the  Tranflator,  that 
this  worlliip  of  the  female  is  only  partial ;  the  wor- 
ihipper  is  on  his  knees  before  the  altar  ;  and  his 
eyes  are  fixed  on  the  objed  of  his  devotion,  f.jf 
which  he  is  not  obliged  to  look — oculis  ereilis. 


3J4  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

cd  upon  the  fame  principle.  The  Dru- 
fes  who  are  worfhippers  of  the  fun,  ap- 
pear to  have  more  relemblance  with  the 
ancient  inhabitants  of  Palmyra.  It  is  at 
a  fmall  diflance  from  that  city,  and,  fo 
fpeaking,  in  fight  of  the  ruins  of  that 
famous  Temple  of  the  Sun,  that  we  flill 
find  the  worfliippers  of  that  body.  Le- 
banon receives  his  firft  rays;  it  is  there 
that  his  adoration  would  naturally  take 
refuge,  and  be  preferved. 

We  were  two  days  in  palTing  thefe 
mountains,  of  which  there  are  three  dif- 
tin(5l  chains,  and  two  lateral  ones  form, 
in  fome  degree,  the  bafe  which  fupports 
that  of  the  centre.  Thisconltru6lion  of 
the  mountains,  alternately  prefents  the 
horror  of  the  mod  profound  abyfTes,  the 
moll  dangerous  defiles,  the  moft  pidu- 
refque  fituations,  and  the  mod  delight- 
ful vallies.  One  fees,  on  every  fide, 
plantations  of  mulberry-trees  kept  in  the 
greatefl:  order.  Thefe  trees,  whole  leaves  * 
give  food  for  the  filk- worms,  are  plant- 
ed in  quincunxes,  with  a  perfed  regula- 
rity, which  renders  this  refinement  more 
remarkable,  from  its  inutility  ;  and  as 
it  is  only  amongfl:  the  Drufes    that  this 

manner 


BARON     DETOTT.  315 

manner  of  planting  is  known  through- 
out the  Levant.  Their  villages  appear- 
ed to  be  tolerably  well  built  ;  they  arc 
always  built  under  fteep  rocks,  whidi 
fhelter  them;  and  the  fummits  of  the 
mountains,  crowned  with  pine-trees, 
form  the  mort:  interefting  landfcapes. 

We  arrived,  after  three  days  painful 
march,  at  the  little  town  of  Tchoukour, 
on  the  banks  of  the  Orontes.  The  pil- 
grims from  Conftantinople  and  from 
Afia,  who  were  joined  together  in  their 
•way  to  Damafcus,  the  general  rendez- 
vous of  the  caravan  for  Mecca,  had  ar- 
rived before  us  at  Tchoukour,  and  we 
found  them  encamped  on  the  borders  of 
that  river.  I  eftablifhed  my  camp  at  a 
little  diftance;  and  their  chief,  (for 
every  fociety  choofes  a  mafter,  or  fome- 
thing  refembling  it,)  fent  me  a  prefent 
of  fruits,  with  his  compliments  on  my 
arrival.  But  notwithftanding  this  po- 
litenefs,  the  commander  of  the  town 
thought  that  the  neighbourhood  of  fo  nu- 
merous a  troop,  who  were  to  fet  off  the 
next  day,  and  every  individual  of  which 
thought  himfelf  fure  of  ablolution,  left 
fome  doubts  of  my  fecurity.  Fie  rein- 
O  2  forced 


3l6  MEMOIRS    OF     THE 

forced  my  efcort  therefore,  with  a  body 
of  infantry,  difpofed  in  a  line  of  circum- 
vallation;  but  I  knew  the  Turks  well 
enough  to  have  a  better  opinion  of  the 
Pilgrims,  and  too  little  of  my  new  guard 
not  to  be  afraid  of  them.  I  efcapcd, 
however,  with  a  fcattering  fire,  that 
laded  the  whole  night,  and  which  they 
afiTured  me  was  the  only  method  of 
keeping  off  the  robbers ;  but  it  was  the 
way  alfo  of  killing  honeft  people,  if  any 
fuch  had  happened  to  pafs  near  my 
quarters;  and  I  was,  after  all,  forced 
to  pay  the  poltroons  for  keeping  me 
awake. 

Rhia,  where  we  flept  the  next  night, 
is  fituated  at  the  entrance  of  the  plains 
of  Syria.  Some  ruins  are  to  be  feen 
here  which  point  out  no  determinate  ob- 
je6ls,  but  bear  the  marks  of  the  mod  re- 
mote antiquity.  The  country  around 
this  fmall  town  is  mod  richly  cultivated, 
and  continues  fo  as  far  as  Aleppo.  It  took 
us  two  days  and  a  half  to  crofs  this  plain, 
the  plowing  of  which  is  very  remarkable; 
each  furrow  feems  to  be  traced  out  by  a 
line,  and  is  without  the  fmalled  bend 
for  the  length  of  a  quarter  of  a  league. 

Corn, 


BARON    DE      TOTT.  3 17 

Corn,  cotton,  and  a  kind  of  grain  which 
the   inhabitants   make    oil    of,  are   pro- 
duced on  this  foil.     This  induftry  feeins 
to  throw  a  veil  over  the  devailations  this 
plain  has  undergone,    but  it  is  fufficient- 
ly  teftified    by  feveral  fragments  of  an- 
tiquity.    I  faw  near   a    fountain,   a  fort 
of  bafon  of  white  marble,  in  one  block, 
of  i^^vQn    feet  long,   by  three  in  height, 
and   four   wide,  ornamented   with    gar- 
lands,  and  the  llaughtering  of  rams,  irv 
the    fined    tafte,    and   carved    with    the 
pureft  chifcl  ;   it  was  made  ufe  of  as  a 
watering  trough  ;  and  as  we  cannot  fup- 
pofe  it  to  have    been  tranfported  either 
from   Balbec,    or    Palmyra,    it    plainly 
indicates  the  former   exiftence   of  fome 
town   which   was   nearer,    and    is  more 
completely    deitroyed     than     either    of 
them. 

1  was  Rill  threatened  with  a  public 
entry,  which  determined  me  to  halt  at 
Kantouman,  an  ufual  place  of  repofe  for 
travellers,  built  at  three  leagues  from 
Aleppo,  on  the  edge  of  the  defart  which 
furroundsihatcity.  larrivedthereatnight, 
after  paiTing  the  wildeft  country,  and 
breathing  an  air  abfolutely  phofphoric. 
O  3  The 


3lS  MEMOIRSOFTHE 

The  precautions  I  had  taken  to  avoid 
the  pomp  they  had  prepared  for  me,  only 
ferved  to  render  it  melancholy,  for  the 
flambeaux  with  which  they  waittrd  for  me 
at  the  gate  of  the  town,  to  condud  me  to 
the  Conful's,  gave  our  entry  the  air  of 
a  funeral  procefTion. 

The  town  of  Aleppo,  celebrated  for 
the  number  of  icg  inhabitants*,  the 
beauty  of  its  buildings,  its  extenfivc 
commerce,  and  the  riches  that  flow  from 
it,  is  fituated  in  a  hollow,  and  on  afmall 
river  i  but  this  water  which  fupplies  the 
inhabitants  of  Aleppo,  appears  as  fo- 
reign from  the  foil  it  runs  through,  as 
the  town  i-tfelf  is  from  the  defart  in  which 
it  is  placed,  and  it  is  only  from  the  de- 
vaftation  of  the  furrounding  country  that 
one  can  find  the  fofuti.on  of  this  political 
problem  i  but  the  caufes  of  its  prcferva- 
tion,  increafc,  and  opulence,  are  eafily 
to  be  difcovercd  in  the  neceflity  there 
was  for  an  emporium   between  the   Me- 

diter- 

*  THey  reckon  150,000  fouls  at  Aleppo,  the 
greatelt  naniber  of  whom  are  iVIahometans.  Some 
J  ws,  and  a  gieac  many  Armenians,  compofe  the 
itmamder  of  ihe  population  :  the  Franks,  who 
arc  dravn  there  l)v  com mer«.e,  are  too  few  in  num- 
t><;i:  iii  iiiCfit  the  Deiug  inciudcd  iii  the  caivuiation. 


BARON     DETOTT.  3x9 

dicerranean  and  the  Perfian  Gulph.  Its 
fituation  murt;  alfo  have  been  determine^L» 
by  the  advantageous  circumftance  of  a 
runiiing  water,  which  is  fo  fcarce  in  thefe 
plains,  that  this  river,  whofe  fource  is 
not  remote,  lofes  itfelf  a  few  leagues  be- 
low the  town,  and  fedns  only  to  (how 
itfelf  in  this  parched  country,  for  the 
purpofe  of  fixing  men  in  the  little  valley 
that  it  waters. 

Aleppo  is  furrounded  by  gardens,  or 
rather  by  fmall  plantations  of  Piflachio 
trees,  whofe  leaves  of  a  delicate  green, 
and  tbe  fruit  of  a  rofe  colour,  fornn  the 
mci{\  charniinQ-  coud  d'c^ih  wliilll  this 
production  itfelf  conflitutes  a  branch  of 
comnnerce  of  a  fure  and  profitable  fale. 

This  town  is  defended  from  the  de- 
predations of  the  Arabs  who  furround 
it,  by  a  pretty  flrong  caflle;  and  this 
fortrefs,  placed  in  the  centre  of  the  circu- 
lar fpace  occupied  by  the  town,  is  built 
on  a  butt,  or  hillock,  which  appears  to 
have  been  formed  by  the  hand  of  man, 
and  it  fcems  as  if  it  had  been  furrounded 
by  fome  couffes  of  ftone.  The  fort, 
which  is  built  on  the  ancient  military 
principles,  contains  at  prefent  fome 
O  4  pieces 


320  MEMOIRS     OF    THE 

pieces  of  artillery,   which  might  graze 
the  tops  of  all  the  adjoining  hills  without 
endangering  the  houfes  ; — all  the  latter 
have  terraces  on  the   top    of   them,  and 
are   fo  equal    in    height,   that    one    has 
very  feldom  any  fleps  to  mount,   or   to 
defcend,  it  going  from  one  houfe  to  ano- 
ther}  and   feveral   large   vaulted   ftreets 
add  to   the   facility  of  communication, 
by  enabling  the  paflenger   to  go  from 
one  quarter     to   another,    without    the 
trouble  of  pafTing  through   the  ftreets. 
Thofe  of  Aleppo  are  elegantly  paved,— 
the  footways  are  formed  by  large  regular 
flag  flones,  and  the  centre  of  the  (Ireet 
is  made  of  brick,   placed  edgeways   for 
the  convenience  of  the   horfes.     There 
is  an  attention  to  cleanlinefs  in  Aleppo 
too,    unknown   in    the   other    towns   in 
Turkey,  nay  even  in  the  capital.     This 
objedl  of  police  does  not  occafion  the  in- 
cumbrances of  our  carts;   it  is  executed 
by  afs-drivers,  vvho  go  through  the  town, 
and  colled  the  filth  from  the  fweepers, 
whom  each  individual  is  obliged  to  em- 
ploy.    If  the  heat  of  the  climate  renders 
this  work  not  fo  difficult,   the  fame  heat 
makes  it  neceflary  to  pay  a  greater  at- 
tention 


BARON    D£    TOTT.  32I 

tentlon  to  cleanlinefs,  to  preferve  the  falu- 
brity  of  the  air,  particularly  under  the 
vaulted  ftreets  I  have  been  fpeaking  of, 
which  are  principally  deflined  for  the 
fhop-keepers.  They  contain  the  mofl: 
valuable  effedls :  it  is  there  that  adive 
and  paiTive  commerce  difplays  its 
activity  ;  but  the  prote£lion  of  the  dif- 
ferent car..vans,  as  well  as  the  private  ef- 
corts  for  travellers,  furnifh  the  Pacha 
and  his  officers  with  the  certain  means  of 
extorting  from  trade  and  from  individu- 
als. In  every  other  refped,  the  people 
enjoy  more  tranquillity  at  Aleppo,  than 
in  the  other  towns,  and  the  Europeans 
have  never  fuffered  any  opprefTion  capa- 
ble of  difcouraging  their  fpeculations. 
We  may  judge  alfo  from  the  induftry  of 
the  people  of  Aleppo,  that  defpotifm 
treats  it  with  indulgence.  They  even 
venture  to  enter  into  competition  with 
the  Indies.  I  have  vifited  with  atten- 
tion their  manufadures  of  the  ItufFs  we 
call  herbages*,  the  entry  of  which  is. 
O  5  pro- 

*  Herbages  are  a  fort  of  filk  and  cotton  llufF, 
with  wrought  flowers  on  it,  much  worn  by  the  la- 
dies in  Province,  and  the  fouthero  parts  of  France, 
into  which  they  are  fmuggled. 


322  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

prohibited  into    France,    although   our 
imitation  of  them  can  by  no  means  juf- 
tify  the  prohibition,  for  our  manner  of 
fpinning,    and  thofe  fliackles  which  hin- 
der us  from  bringing  that  art   to  perfec- 
tion,  will    never     allow    us    to    imitate 
them.     L«fs   depends,    in    fa6V,  on   the 
art  of  the  manufadurer,  whofe  work    is 
precifely    the   fame   as   in    all  brocaded 
(luffs,  than  on  the  fkill   of  the  fpinfter, 
which  we  mud  fludy,  if  we  wifh  to  imi- 
tate them    with  fuccefs.     It  is  their  art 
that  gives  fuch  excellence  to   the  filk  of 
Lebanon,    and  enables  it  to   furpafs  the 
origin  of  Italy.     It  is  with  Aleppo  cot- 
ton, with  which  we  can   fcarcely   make 
our  bourres  of  Rouen  §,  that  the  fpinf- 
ters  of  Syria  compofe  the  web    of  the 
herbages;  but   the  fpindle  requires  pa- 
tience,    and     patience    can    accomplifh 
every  thing  ^. 

When 

§  The  bourres  of  Rouen,  are  of  cotton,  bro- 
caded with  filk,  in  imitation  of  the  llufFs  of  the 
Levant. 

*  This  manner  of  fpinning  can  never  fuit  the 
manufafturers,  undoubtedly,  who  pay  regular 
wages  to  fpinfters.  The  afTembling  o'  individuals 
in  manufafturesjis  Hill  lefs  adapted  to  the  views  of 

a  wife 


BARON    DE    TOTT.  325 

When  1  arrived  at  Aleppo,  Ifed-Ach- 
met  Pacha,  the  Governor  of  that  town, 
had  juft  been  removed,  and  ordered  to 
repair  the  Temple  of  Mecca  ;  a  change 
regretted  by  the  inhabitants,  and  which 
converted  a  good  Minifler  into  a  bad 
architefl.  He  fet  out  for  his  place  of 
deftination,  the  day  of  my  departure 
for  Alexandretta,  where  1  was  to  re- 
imbark.  The  new  Governor  gave  me 
an  efcort  of  a  hundred  horfe,  to  which 
he  added  an  Alay-Tchaouche,  and  a 
beater  of  the  tymbal.  Befides  this  mark 
of  diftindlion,  peculiar  only  to  the  Pa- 
chas, he  gave  me  two  led  horfes  ;  and 
I  accepted  this  civility  the  more  readily, 
as  it  proved  that  the  fuppreflion  of  the 
ufual  prefents,  which  1  had  declared, 
and  in  which  1  was  followed  by  the  Con- 
fuls  of  the  other  nations,  was. not  likely 

to 

a  wife  adminiftration,  whofe  fifft'care  {hbuld  always 
be  to  preferve  health  and  good  mora's.  A  method 
was  propofed  to  government  of  multiplying  and 
bringing  Spinning  to  perfedton,  vvithuut  renaoving 
the  inhabitants,  which  would  eventually  have  put 
an  end  to  begging.  The  liberty  of  ailing  was  all 
that  was  demanded ; — **  But  good  is  not  only  to  be 
done  at  the  fpindle ;  it  requires  patience  to  bring 
it  about." 


324  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

to  have  fuch  injurious  confequences  for 
the  Europeans,  as  1  was  made  to  believe. 
This  fuppreflion  had  deprived  Ifed-Ach- 
met-Pacha  of  the  cullomary  prefent  on 
his  departure.  I  was  to  encamp  near 
him  at  Kanthouman,  and  I  took  it  for 
granted  that  he  would  difpenfe  with  eve- 
ry a6l  of  politenefs  towards  me,  which, 
in  fadt,  would  have  given  me  but  little 
pain,  although,  in  other  refpeds,  I  had 
a  pcrfonal  efteem  for  him  3  my  tents, 
however,  were  hardly  pitched,  by  the 
lide  of  his,  before  he  fent  to  compli- 
ment me,  with  a  requefl:  to  compenfate 
to  him  by  my  company,  for  not  having 
feen  me  at  Aleppo.  1  went  immediately 
to  his  tent,  where,  contrary  to  all  the 
eftabiifhed  forms,  he  rofe  up  to  receive 
me.  I  remained  two  hours  in  converfa- 
tion  with  him,  during  which  Idifcover- 
ed  more  good  fenfe  and  knowledge  in, 
him,  than  was  neceffary  to  account  for 
this  fort  of  exile  into  which  he  was  fenc 
by  the  Porte.  Afte^communicating  this 
obfervation  to  him,  we  feparated  to  go 
to  reft,  and  to  take  our  different  routes 
the  next  day* 

Our 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  325 

Our  little  troop  lay  the  day  following 
at    Martavan.     The    fingularity    of  the 
manners  of  the  inhabitants  of  this  village 
is  fo  ftriking,  that  I  cannot  help  extend- 
ing that  celebrity  which  Martavan  enjoys 
in  Syria.     I  was  afTured  that  the  adjoin- 
ing village  is  governed  by  the  fame  prin- 
ciples,  but  being    deprived   of  the   ad- 
vantage of  laying  on  the  high-road,   its 
name    is    fcarcely   known.     Thefe    two 
villages    belong  to  a  rich  proprietor  of 
Aleppo,  who  receives   the  quit-rents  of 
them,   and  enjoys,  at  the  fame  time,  the 
privilege   of  naming  the  firfl:  municipal 
officer  of  the  community.     At  Martavan, 
there  is  not  the  fmallefl  indication  of  any 
fort  of  religion..     The  men  feem  to  be 
taken  up  entirely  with  agriculture  j    and 
the  women,    who  in  general  are  pretty, 
appear  to  have  no  other  occupation  than 
to  receive  travellers*     The  day  when  any 
traveller  arrives,   is  alfo  a   feftival  with 
them,   as  well  as  for  the  Pefeving-Bachiy 
whofe  authority  is  fimilar  to  that  of  Bailiff 
of  the  Manor,   but  whofe  fun£f ions  are  of 
a  more  conciliatory  nature^  and  whofe  name^ 
and  employment^  cannot  be  tranjlated.     His 
office  is  to  take  the  orders  of  the  new 

corners^ 


3^6  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

comers,  to  fupply  every  one  according  to  his 
tafte,  and  to  fettle  the  produce  of  his  re- 
ceipts with  the  community.  I  was  af- 
fured  that  this  perquifite  had  been  fold, 
together  with  the  title  which  authorizes 
its  colledlion,  for  ten  purfes*.  It  would 
be  difficult  to  trace  the  origin  of  a  foci- 
ety  founded  on  fuch  extraordinary  prin- 
ciples ;  and  it  is  in  the  midO:  of  a  country 
famed  for  the  moit  rigid  laws  ofjealoufy, 
that  Martavan  preferves  a  legal  iictnti- 
oufnefs,  fo  reduced  to  principle,  that  it 
appears,  in  fa£t,  to  be  the  only  exiding 
prejudice  of  this  little  fociety.  The 
head  drefs  of  the  women  of  Martavan  is 
peculiar  to  them;  it  is  a  fort  of  helmet 
of  chafed  filver,  ornamented  with  pieces 
of  gold,  ftrung  on  a  thread.  i  his  cap 
rtfembles  thac  of  the  Cauchois  women. 
The  officioufnefs  of  the  Bailiff  of  Marta^ 
van  was  not  fo  fuccefsfully  employed  in. 
colkding  my  efcort,  as  they  had  been  in 
diOnbuting  them  properly  the  preceding 
night,  and  we  did  not  gel  away  io  foon 
as  \  intended.  This  day's  journey  brought 
us  no  further  than  a  village,   near  which 

we 

*  A  Turkifh  purfe  is  1500  livres,  or  about  72I. 
10s.  llerling. 


BARON     U£    TOTT.  327 

we  incamped,  at  the  entrance  of  the 
mountains,  and  from  whence  we  fet  out 
before  day-break,  to  ford  a  fmall  river, 
in  order  to  avoid  the  iron-bridge,  which 
we  were  informed  the  Turkmen  had  o;ot 
poflenion  of. 

This  people,  who  in  the  winter  inhabit 
the  centre  of  Afia,  and  who  (Iretch  even 
into  Syria  in   the  fummer,    to  feed   their 
flocks,   with  their  arms  and  baggage,  are 
thought  to  be  wandering  tribes,  but  are, 
in  fadl,  no  more  fo  than  the  Spanifh  (liep- 
herds,   who    follow    their    fheep   during 
eight  months  of  the  year,  throughout  all 
the   mountains  of  Andalufia^    with  this 
differenccj     that    they   are    colledled    in 
more  numerous   bodies,    that  they  may 
drive  off  any  pcrfons  who  may  chufc  to 
difpute  with  them  their  paflurage.   They 
never  begin  any  attack,  nor  do  they  ever 
go  to  war  without  provocation  ;    but  my 
efcort  was  afraid  of  their  refentment :  the 
troops  of  Aleppo  had  lately  had  a  fkirmifh 
with    them,  in  which   a  few  Turkmen, 
who  had  imprudently  feparated  from  the 
main-bodv,  had  been  roughly  treated  by 
the   Pacha's    cavalry.     It  v/as  to    avoid 
them,    therefore,    that    the   detachment 

which 


328  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

which  accompanied  me,  made  me  go 
along  the  mountains  as  far  as  Antioch, 
where  we  incamped  on  the  banks  of  the 
Orontes,  after  croffing  the  ruins  of  that 
celebrated  city.  Its  ancient  inclofure 
is  ftill  to  be  feen,  in  the  form  of  a  paral- 
lelogram, which  reds  on  the  declivity  of 
a  very  deep  hill,  and  rifes  up  to  the  very 
fummit,  which  fccured  it  from  being 
taken  from  behind.  The  mafonry  of  its 
walls,  which  run  along  the  Orontes^.  is 
perfectly  frefh,  and  is  in  the  mod  perfefl 
prcfervation  :  one  fees  towers  on  every 
part  of  them,  the  fole  means  of  defence 
in  thofe  remote  periods,  built  with  the 
greateft  elegance.  The  declivity  of  the 
hill  exhibits  alfo  the  ruins  of  the  houfes. 
My  efcort,  always  thinking  of  the  Turk- 
men, and  always  prudent,  made  m.e 
continue  along  the  mountains  beyond 
Antioch,  to  get  round  the  lake  of  that 
name,  and  which  was  at  length  to  fepa- 
rate  us  from  thefe  formidable  enemies. 
We  were  travelling  on  very  quietly,  and 
our  brave  horfemen  were  makingr  their 
evolutions  round  us,  when  I  faw  them 
fuddenly  fall  back  upon  me.  The  com- 
mandant of  the  troop  then  made  me  re- 
mark 


BARON     D£    TOTT.  329 

mark  the  tents  of  the  Turkmen,  pitched 
on  the  borders  of  the  lake  along  which 
we  were  to  pafs :  he  appeared  uncertain 
what  part  to  take  ;  but  I  did  not  hefitate 
about  the  matter;  I  mud  continue  my 
journey,  and  I  at  length  perfuaded  my 
efcort  not  to  have  any  apprehenfions  with 
me,  provided  they  made  no  ridiculous 
parade  to  infuh  the  Turkmen.  I  was 
very  certain,  in  giving  this  advice,  my 
guards  were  well  difpofed  to  follow  it, 
and  it  required  exertion  enough  to  make 
this  troop  (hew  a  good  countenance  be- 
fore fix  or  feven  thoufand  Afiatics, 
whofe  pacific  difpofitions  were  at  lead 
doubtful. 

1  took  the  precaution  to  cover  my  ef- 
cort with  my  little  troop  of  Europeans; 
and  we  were  marching  in  this  order, 
which  had  nothing  hoflile  in  it,  when  we 
perceived  a  movement  in  the  enemy's 
camp,  from  v/hence  there  fallied  forth 
fome  men  from  different  parts  to  meet 
us,  and  1  foon  had  the  mufic  of  the  va- 
rious hords  at  my  horfe's  head.  The 
Turkmen,  muficians,  preceded  me  dan- 
cing and  playina,  during  the  whole  time 
of  our  palling  along  their  camp.     I  then 

took 


330  M  EMOIRS    OF    THE 

took  my  leave  of  them,  after  making  them 
the  prefent  they  had  come  in  fearch  of, 
with  which  thcfe  gentlemen  were  un- 
doubtedly very  good  to  be  contented- 

We  Hept  the  fame  night  at  Mahamout- 
Kan,  a  fort  of  caflle  at  the  entrance  of 
the  pafles  of  the  Beilan*.  The  mountains 
we  crofled  the  next  day  are  inhabited  by 
the  Curdes.  The  Turkifh  government 
has  eftabliflied  here,  for  the  fecuritv  of 
commerce  and  travellers,  fome  guards 
who,  to  render  themfelves  more  necef- 
fary,  take  care  "to  pillage  thofe  who  re- 
fufe  to  employ  them  j  but  the  manner 
in  which  I  travelled,  giving  them  no 
hopes  of  executing  any  thing  by  force, 
thefe  guards  determined  to  get  fomething 
from  me  by  their  attention.  I  found  a 
troop  of  them  ftationed  in  the  height  of 
the  mountains,  who  were  very  anxious 
on  my  approach,  to  get  me  into  their 
poflTefHon,  without  regard  to  the  detach- 
ment of  cavalry  which  had  hitherto 
guarded  me  fo  well;  but  1  informed 
the  commander  of  this  infantry,  fo  po- 

fitively, 

*  A  continuation  of  Mount  Lebanon. — Thefe 
mountains,  inhabited  by  the  Curdes,  join  the 
mountains  of  Caramania. 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  33I 

fitivcly,  that  with  thirty  Europeans,  I 
was  more  able  to  help  him,  than  he  to 
defend  me,  that  he  gave  up  his  claim 
upon  me.  I  could  not,  however,  lefufe 
him  the  permiiTion  he  afked,  with  great 
humility,  of  accompanying  me,  at  lead 
for  fome  time;  befides,  1  was  not  forry 
to  have  an  inhabitant  of  the  country  with 
me  capable  of  anfwering  fuch  queftions 
as  I  might  wifh  to  put  to  him  during  my 
journey  i  and  this  man,  followed  only 
by  two  of  his  foldiers,  went  orufoot  by 
the  fide  of  my  horfe. 

He  informed  me,  that  his  country- 
men, the  Curdes,  very  often  revolted, 
and  never  were  obedient;  that  the  pre- 
vailing fpirit  of  rapine  rendered  his  duty 
very  laborious,  and  that  I  ought  to  re- 
commend the  French^  whom  he  preferred 
to  every  other  race  of  infidels,  always  to 
apply  to  him,  and  pay  him  well.  On 
my  fide,  1  endeavoured  to  perfuade  him 
that  he  would  be  hangsd,  if  any  accident 
happened  to  our  merchants,  and  we 
finiflied  without  convincing  each  other. 
Whilfl;  we  were  thus  converfing  together, 
I  perceived  at  a  fmall  diftance  a  horrible 
peak,  which   appeared  to  me  to   be  the 

haunt 


33^  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

haunt  of  wild  beads.  "  Have  you,'*  fays 
I,  "  any  tygers  hereabouts  ?*' — '^  Ty- 
gers  :"  fays  he,  lowering  his  voice  ;  "  Do 
you  want  to  fee  any  ?  Get  ofF your  horfe; 
I'll  fhow  you  fonne  at  thirty  paces  fronri 
you.*'  A  game-keeper,  who  had  found 
a  covey  of  partridges,  would  not  have 
exprelfed  himfelf  with  more  earneftnefs 
to  engage  the  attention  of  the  fportf  nan  j 
but  it  may  be  fuppofed  that  this  fort  of 
amufement  did  not  tempt  me,  and  I  dif- 
mifled  him  with  a  few  crowns  for  the 
trouble  he  had  taken. 

This  days  journey,  which  was  employ- 
ed in  crolTing  defiles,  and  in  climbing 
over  rocks,  brought  us  to  the  village  of 
Beylan,  three  leagues  from  the  fea,  and 
we  encamped  in  the  confined  fpace  be- 
tween the  village,  and  the  precipice  on 
which  it  is  fituated.  We  were  in  fight 
of  the  road  where  the  frigate  was  waiting 
for  me,  and  had  even  fuHicient  day-lighc 
to  have  got  to  Alexandretta,  fituaced  oa 
the  beach  3  but  the  air  of  that  town  is  fo 
peftiferous  that  I  was  advifed  not  to  fleep 
there.  The  Beylan  is,  on  that  account, 
the  refuge  of  the  fa<5lors  who  do  bufinefs 
at   Alexandretta  i     but    nocwithftanding 

the 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  ^33 

the  care  they  take  to  (lay  there  as  little 
as  pofTible,  and  to  retire  to  the  Mountains 
of  the  Beylan,  to  breathe  a  morefalubri- 
ous  air,  thefe  unfortunate  men  feld  jm  refift 
for  any  length  of  tinne  the  bad  effcds  of 
this  nephytic  air.     The  marflies  that  ex- 
tend  along  the   coaft  are    undoubtedly 
the  immediate  caufes  of  their  ill  health, 
but  the  caufes  of  the  noxious  quality  of 
thefe  vapours   are  more   remote.     The 
height  of  the   mountains  that  furround 
Alexandretta,    too  lofty  to  allow   a  free 
pafTage  to   thefe  vapours,    by   collediing 
and  condenfing  them   under  a   burning 
(ky,   are  the  original  caufes  of  the  cor- 
ruption  of  the  air  at  Alexandretta.     I 
have    never    obfcrved    an    unwh^lcfome 
air,  without  difcovering  the  caufeofit, 
in  fome  topographical    fuuation  exactly 
fimilar  J. 

Alexandretta  was  the  conclu^^on  ofour 
daily  encampments,  of  which  I  began  to 
be  heartily  tired  i  we  arrived  there  time 
enough  to  tiniih  all  my  bufincfs  before 
night,  and  after  fatisfying  tne  avidity  of 

'the 

X  The  vapours  arifing  from  the  rice  fields  of 
Egypt  meeting  with  no  obftacle  to  retain  them, 
they  fly  off  freely,  and  are  for  that  reafon  free  from 
corruption. 


334  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

the  perfons  who  had  accompanied  me, 
I  went  on  board  the  Atalanta  in  the  even- 
ing, and  the  wind  being  favourable,  we 
weighed  anchor  immediately,  and  had 
time  enough  to  take  the  height  of  Cape 
St.  Andrew. 

It  is  to  the  fouthward  of  this  land, 
and  on  the  eaftermoil  point  towards  the 
Ifle  of  Cyprus,  to  which  we  were  bound, 
that  the  town  of  Famaguila  is  fituated, 
celebrated  for  its  defence  againft  the 
Turks,  when  they  took  it  from  the  Ve- 
nitians,  and  for  their  treachery  towards 
the  Governor  after  the  furrender  of  the 
town. 

We  wfTf  the  next  morning  off  Cape 
de  la  G'-ecque,  and  anchored  before  noon 
in  the  road  .)f  Arr.aca,  where  the  French 
merchants,  and  the  King's  conful  at  Cy- 
prus are  fettled  ;  this  town  wiiich  from 
its  convenient  f]tunti<^n  for  trade  is  pre- 
ferred to  Nicofia  j-,  is  at  a  quarter  of  a 
league's  diOance  from  the  dock.  The 
houles  of  the  diff-trenc  confuls,  thofe  of 
the  merchants,  and  the  comforts  always 
enjoyed  where  commerce  flouriflies,  give 
this  place  altogether  a  very  agreeable  ap- 
p»  arance. 

The 
f    The  Capital  of  the  Ifle  of  Cyprus. 


Baron   de  tott.  ^^S 

The  lile  of  Cyprus  is  the  appendage  of 
a  Sultana,  and  this  kingdom,   difnaem- 
bered    from   the  Venetian  ftates,    is  at 
prefent  governed   by  a  MufTelim,  who, 
as  well  as  the  Greek  Metropolitan,   re- 
fides  at  Nocofia.     The  adminiftration  of 
thefe  two  chiefs,  the  one  spiritual,    the 
other   temporal,   has    had   fuch  a  rapid 
fucccfs,   that   neither  the  advantages  of 
climate,    nor    its  charming   productions 
have  been  able  to  withstand  ir,   and  this 
beautiful  country    exhibits  at  this   day, 
nothing  but  the   pidure  of  folirude  and 
mifery.     The  amorous  fountain  Amathor 
and  Paphos,  contain  only  a  few  wretch- 
ed inhabitants  covered  with  rags.     The 
taxes  impofed  on  the  people  of  Cyprus, 
taken  from  former  calculations  of  a  great- 
er population,   being   now   borne  by   a 
fmaller  quantity  of  individuals,    induce 
them    to  fly,   and    aggravate  the  annual 
mifery  of  thofe  who  are  unable  to  efcape 
from    this     horrible    tyranny  j     but    the 
means    which    necefllty   is  compelled  to 
make  ufe  of  to  pay  this  furcharge  of  im- 
pofition,   by  draining  the  true  f(.'urces  of 
wealth,    will    foon  do  retributive  juftice 
to  the  tyrants,   and  make  them  partake 

of 


22^  MEMOIRS    OF   THE 

of  the  mifery  of  the  flaves.  The  wines 
of  Cyprus,  in  fa6l,  whofe  fale  depends 
wholly  on  the  quality,  and  which  can 
only  be  acquired  on  the  lees*,  have  al- 
ready loft  their  value  by  the  exportatiop 
of  thefe  old  cafks,  which  formerly  were 
not  to  be  procured,  but  which  their  po- 
verty has  obliged  thenn  to  fell  for  a  long 
time  paft.  The  Venetians  have  pur* 
chafed  the  oideft  j  but  private  intereft 
which  has  carried  on  this  fpeculation, 
does  not  feel,  that  by  inverting  the 
order  of  things,  it  mull:  eventually  injure 
itfelf ;  and  that  an  operation  which  de- 
prives the  cultivator  of  the  means  of  cul- 
tivating to  the  greateft  advantage,  by 
deftroying  the  wme,  will  render  the  bar- 
rel ufelefs  §. 

The 

*  The  new  wines  were  always  poured  into  cafks 

that  had  been  kepi  fyir  ages,  and  after  remaining  on 

the  old  lees  of  the  former  years,   were  drawn  off  for 

fale,    which    added  greatly    to   the  quality  of  the 

wine. 

§  The    Cyprus  wines   which   in   general  have  a 

pitchy  tafte,  which  they  acquire  from  the  pitched 
leather  cafes  they  are  emptied  into  in  coming  from 
the  prels,  and  until  they  are  put  into  the  cafks  on 
the  lees,  thefe  wines  lofe  this  tafle  by  age  and  have 
this  advantage,  when  they  are  genuine,  of-  never 
becoming  four. 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  337 

The  abundance  and  variety  of  the 
produdtions  with  which  the  mild  foil  of 
Cyprus  is  fpontaneoufly  covered,  mufl 
make  one  regret  thatTournefort,  that  ce- 
lebrated Botanift,  negleded  vifiting  this 
ifland.  The  refearches  which  might  here 
be  made  without  difficulty,  would  fave 
the  trouble  of  vifiting  the  coaflof  Cara- 
mania,  where  it  is  impolTible  to  botanize 
without  danger.  Its  proximity,  as  well 
as  the  fimilarity  of  the  foil  of  Cyprus, 
with  the  continent  of  Afia,  feem  to  leave 
no  doubt  of  the  fimilarity  of  their  pro- 
ductions, and  I  was  much  concerned 
that  the  feafon  was  unfavourable  to  the 
zeal  of  the  young  naturalifl,  who  was 
appointed  by  Mr.  Poiflbnier  to  be  prin- 
cipal furgeon  to  the  frigate. 

We  left  Cyprus,  along  which  we 
coafted  to  the  wcftermoft  point,  whence 
the  frigate  failed  for  Rhodes,  and  we 
came  to  anchor  before  that  famous  tower, 
where  the  flower  of  the  European  nobi- 
lity difputed  the  laurels  with  the  Great 
Soliman,  and  left  him  only  the  field  of 
battle. 

Several  pieces  of  armoury,  belonging 

to  the  Knight  Hofpitalers,  are  ilill  to  be 

Vol.  Ill,  P  fecfl 


33^  MEMOIRS     OF     THE 

{ecn  at  Rhodes;  and  that  ifland,  formerly 
the  terrourof  the  Turks,  is  ftill  formida- 
ble throughout  the  Archipelago,  from 
two  galleys  which  are  equipped  there  to 
defend  it  from  the  corfairs  of  Malta,  but 
which  only  ferve  to  harrafs  the  inhabitants 
of  the  neighbouring  iflands. 

The  government  of  Rhodes  is  bellow- 
ed on  a  Pacha  with  two  tails,  who  is  fre- 
quently abfent.  The  Nafir,  or  infpedor 
of  the  Cudom-houfe,  is,  after  him,  the 
moft  dangerous  man,  and  his  abufe  of 
authority  chiefly  affeds  the  Europeans. 
The  perfon  in  poffefTion  of  this  employ- 
ment on  my  arrival  at  Rhodes,  had  ren- 
dered himfelf  formidable  by  his  extorti- 
ons ;  but  greedy  on  the  one  hand,  and 
liberal  on  the  other,  he  always  purchafed 
impunity  with  the  produce  of  his  oppref- 
fions.  Such  is  the  fyftem  which  per- 
vades and  governs  the  whole  Ottoman 
Empire.  It  furnillies  perquifites  for  the 
miniftcrs  of  the  Porte  j  and  the  Grand 
Signior,,  himfelf,  finds,  in  this  fyftem, 
the  refgurces  for  the  fupply  of  his  private 
treafury  ;  but  in  no  cafe  does  any  thing 
return  to  the  unfortunate  fubjcfls  of  their 

oppref- 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  339 

opprefTion,  and  the  fubjedl,  who  knows 
that  complaints  producing  no  other  ef- 
fcS:  than  to  occafion  a  partition  of  the 
booty,  give  only  a  new  third  for  plun- 
der, is  always  prudent  enough  to  hold 
his  tongue. 

1    fhall  pafs   over  an   account   of  the 
manners  of  the   inhabitants  of  Rhodes, 
and  every  thing  elfe  remarkable  in  this 
iftand.     Thefe    particulars     have    been 
given  by  Mr.  le  Conte  deChoifeul  Gouf- 
fier  *,    and   his   voyage  comprehending 
every  part  of  Greece,  which   remained 
for  me  to  vific,   I  fhail  confine  myfelf  to 
an  inquiry  into,  the  Turkifh  government 
without  the  capital,    but  it  is   my  duty, 
to  fulfil  the  objefl  of  thefe  memoirs,  by 
bearing  tedimony  to  the  accuracy  of  Mr. 
de  Choifcul.     He  has  neglecfled    no  de- 
tails, and  the  public  are  much  indebted 
to  him  for    having  diflinftly  traced   out 
ancientGrcece,  without  everconfounding 
it,  with  the  different  traits  which  charac- 
terize the  modern  Greeks. 

The    bad   feafon,    together    with  the 

bufinefs  of  my    infpedion,  determined 

P  2  me 

*  The  prefent  ambaflador  of  France  at  the  Porte, 
whofe  learned  work  is  in  highellimation  in  France. 


340  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

me  to  pafs  the  winter  at  Smyrna,  and  we 
fet  fail  accordingly  from  Rhodes,  coaft- 
ing  along  Afia  f.  This  navigation, 
which  at  any  other  time  would  have  af- 
forded us  the  mod  agreeable  coup  d'ceil, 
was  extremely  fatiguing,  particularly  off 
the  GulphofStanchio,  where  we  had  ve- 
ry bad  weather,  which  after  obliging  us 
to  lie  too  all  night,  forced  us  to  (land  in 
next  day  for  the  flioals  of  the  Pacha.  A 
fhort  time  after  we  had  got  into  this 
fhelter,  a  Venetian  ve/Tel  arrived  at  the 
fame  anchoring  ground,  the  captain  of 
which  informed  us,  that  meeting  with 
the  bad  weather  far  out  at  fea,  and  not 
knowing  either  his  latitude,  or  how  to 
{leer,  he  had  faRened  an  image  of  the 
Virgin,  at  the  prow  of  his  veffcl,  and 
left  the  dire<5lion  of  it  entirely  to  her.  It 
was  thus  that  thefc  devotees  had  traverfed 
a  fea  full  of  fhoalsj  but  it  is  dill  more 
ridiculous,  and  dreadful  to  rcficrdl  that 
one  fuch  inftance  of  fuccefs  was  fufficient 
to  occafion  the  lofs  of  many  veflels,  by 
following  the  fame  fuperflitious  princi- 
ples. 

Our 

f  It  is  on  this  coafl  that  the  fined  fpunges  are 
iSflied  op. 


B  ARON     DE    TOTT.  34I 

Our  courfe  lying  between  the  iil.mds 
ofSpalmadore,  and  the  harbour  of  Tche- 
im*3,  1  had  an  opportunity  of  beholding 
that  theatre,  where  ignorance  had  played 
the  principal  part.  The  Turks  were  ftill 
employed  in  fifhing  up  the. remainder  of 
the  brafs  cannon  fwaliowed  up  in  this 
abyfs,  which  the  perfons  employed  in 
the  refearch  were  appropriating  to  them- 
felves,  whenever  they  could  fteal  them, 
and  felling  them  to  the  befl  bidder*. 
At  a  little  didance  we  doubled  Cape  Ca- 
ra  Bournoa,  which  (huts  in  the  fpacious 
and  deep  road,  at  the  bottom  of  which 
is  fituated  the  town  of  Smyrna.  This 
port  (Echelle)  §,  may  be  confidered  as 
P  3  the 

•  This  manner  ofadminiftering  the  Grand  Sig- 
nior*s  affairs,  is  carried  to  fuch  ftiameful  and  bare- 
faced lengths,  that  a  Pacha  of  the  Morea  made 
them  faw  off  the  barrels  of  the  guns  of  Coron  to 
fell  the  mettle.  This  ingenious  method  of  fleal- 
ing"  the  artillery  without  diminifhing  the  number 
of  the  pieces,  may  have  been  found  fault  with,  but 
certainly  was  never  punidied. 

§  The  word  Echelle ^  for  which  as  it  is  a  word  pe- 
culiarly applied  by  the  French  to  their  fettlements 
in  the  Levant,  and  has  no  word  fynonimous  to  it, 
as  thus  applied,  in  Engliih,  the  tranjlator,  has  fre- 
quently 


34^  MEMOIRS     OF    THE 

the  centre  of  the  commerce  of  the  Le- 
vant, which  is  there  both  adive  and  paf- 
five,  and  is  in  fad  the  entrepot  of  all 
Afia.  The  wealth  of  feveral  individuals 
at  Smyrna,  maintains  a  fyfiem  of  inde- 
pendence in  its  environs,  which  is  in- 
creafmg  its  progrefs  every  day.  Their 
principal  power  confills  in  money,  and 
that  power  is  irrefiftible.  It  may  be 
further  remarked  that  the  efforts  made 
by  the  Porte  a  few  years  ago,  to  deltroy 
one  of  the  Agas  *  have  only  proved  the 
weaknefs  of  the  defpot,  without  fright- 
ening the  others.  They  even  took  a 
pride  in  feeing  the  Captain  Pacha  com- 
mifTioned  to  go  there  in  perfjn,  to  in- 
veft  the  houfe  of  their  companion  ;  and 
the  cruelties  exercifed  by  this  great  Ad- 
miral,  after  his    vidtory^  on  defencelefs 

people 

qucotly  fubftltuted  the  words  port,  harbour,  or  fet- 
tlement;  is  taken  from  the  Turkifh  word  IJk'tle,  a 
fort  of  pier,  buiJt  on  piles,  formed  for  unloading 
the  merchandize,  to  which  there  are  two  or  three 
fteps,  to  facilitate  the  afcent  and  defcent.  The 
word  ilke'c  literally  tranflated  is  echelle  or  ladder  ; 
9  proof  that  literal  tranflations  are  not  always  the 
ino^l  expreffive  of  the  true  iQi\{Q, 

•  The  title  beftowed  on  all  rich  perfons  without 
employments,  and  above  ail  on  great  landholders. 


E  ARO  N    DE      TOTT.  343 

people  whom  he  maflfacred  without  pity, 
has  only  prepared  the  way  for  a  more 
obftinace  refiftance  in  future. 

It   is   through   the   Agas   of  Smyrna, 
that  commerce  makes  its   returns  ;    the 
crops  of  cotton  are  purchafed  from  them, 
and  they  are  furnifhed  in  exchange  with 
articles    of    confumption    neceiTary   for 
thefe  Agas,   and  the  ballance  is  paid   in 
fpeciej    trade   fomecimes   fuffers    a   few 
trifling  oppreffions  j  but  mutual  intereft 
always  didates  the   law  to  the  two  par- 
ties,  and  the  evil  is  feldom  fo  great   as 
to   make   a  difference.     The  commerce 
of  Smyrna  extends  its  branches  through- 
out all  the  Leflcr  Afia,   by  means  of  the 
carravans  which   conveys  our  Languedoc 
cloths   that   are  bought  up  by  the  mer- 
chants   of  the    country,    who   purchafe 
them  in  wholefale,  to  circulate  their  fale 
throughout  that  vafl:  country.* 

P4  To 

-  *  Will  the  policy  of  England  never  keep  pace 
with  her  fterling  good  fcnfe?  will  ihe  never  learn 
to  acquire  a  little  of  that  accommodating  fpirit 
which  is  raifing  her  rival  to  power  as  a  commercial 
nation  ^  or  is  the  determined  to  force  her  commerce, 
as  (he  attempts  to  compel  alliances,  by  ih'i/uperiority 
of  her  manufaa^res,  or  the  jujiice  of  her  cavft  ?  I  !  ! 
Translator.. 


344  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

"To  finifh  this  long  circuit,  1  had  now 
only  to  vifit  the  coafl:  of  Europe,  and  I 
crofled  the  Archipelago  to  Salonica,  one 
of  the  great  pachaliks  of  Turkey  in  Eu- 
rope. At  the  entrance  of  the  gulph  is 
feen  Mount  Athos,  now  called  Monte 
Santo,  inhabited  only  by  Monks  of  the 
Greek  perfuafion.  Some  relations  would 
have  us  believe,  that  they  are  in  pof- 
felTion  of  a  colledlion  of  precious  manu- 
fcripts  i  but  it  is  more  certain,  that  if 
there  be  any,  they  do  not  read  them ; 
it  is  equally  true  that  the  books  of  the 
ancient  ThefTalonica,  as  well  as  thofe  of 
Conftanrinople,  have  been  kept  locked 
up  fince  the  conqued,  and  that  the  Bar- 
barians have  melted  lead  in  the  locks,  fo 
that  the  remains  of  Grecian  literature, 
delivered  over  into  the  hands,  either  of 
fuperftition  or  of  ignorance,  are  fo  well 
kept  from  us,  by  thefe  enemies  to  letters, 
that  we  can  fcarcely  flatter  ourfelve^ 
with  the  hopes  of  ever  being  able  to  reft 
from  them  a  few  fragments. 

The  Turki(h  government  difplays   its 
weaknefs  more  particularly   at  Salonica, 
by   the  oppofition  which  defpotifm  ex- 
periences there,   on  the  part  of  the  mili- 
tia. 


BARON    DE    TOTT,  J4J 

tia.  TVit  Efprit  de  corps ^  which  Increafes 
every  day  by  proper  management,  and 
aflumes  to  itfelf  the  (lireds  of  an  impair- 
ed authority,  has  taken  poflefTion  of  Sa- 
lonica.  Several  Pachas  have  been  its 
fucceflive  victims  3  but  this  oppofition 
to  defpotifm,  far  from  deftroying  its 
effeds,  ferves  only  to  multiply  the  ty- 
ranny, and  the  JanifTary  Aga,  the  chief 
who  commands  under  him,  and  each 
private  JanifTary  are  fo  many  tyrants, 
courted  by  the  Porte,  feared  by  the 
Pacha,  and  who  make  the  whole  country 
tremble. 

The   cuflom  of   permanent  garrifons, 
amongfl   the  Turks,  joined  to  the  want 
of  difcipline  of  their  troops,  give  them, 
in  fame  degree,    the  abfolute  property  of 
the  places   in  which  they  are  flationed, 
where  they  exercife  rights,  coafecrated. 
by  cuftom,  maintained  by   their  union, 
and  which  are  in  invariable  oppofitioa 
to  what  is  intended^    as.  eft^blilhed.orf .  ' 
der. 

It  is  on  this   principle  that  the  Gal i^-- 

ondgis,  who  poffefs  the  privilege  of  fel^ 

ling  lambs   in   Gonftantinople,     oblige 

individuals    to    purchafe     them.-   The 

P  5  Turkilh 


34^  MEMOIR  S   OF    THE 

Turkifh  troops  quartered  in  each  vil- 
lage enjoy  fome  privileges  of  that  na- 
ture ^  their  union  invigorates  that  fpirit 
of  fraud  which  attacks  the  revenue  of  the 
ftate.  This  infidelity  is  reniarkable  on 
all  the  coafts  of  the  Archipelago,  where 
the  exportation  of  corn  is  become  the 
bafis  of  a  fmuggling  trade. 

The  prohibitions  oftheGrand  Signior, 
which  are  the  more  fevere,  as  he  himfelf 
is  the  monopolizer  of  that  article,  pro- 
duce no  efFe6l  -,  and  the  commanders  of 
the  galliots  ftationed  to  prevent  that  ex- 
portation, are  the  firft  to  encourage  it, 
in  confideration  of  a  recompenfe  itipu- 
lated,  and  paid  before  hand.  The  Ita- 
tion  of  the  galliot  i3  then  agreed  upon, 
and  the  time  and  place  when  the  fmug- 
gling  veilels  ftall  take  her  lading;  the 
country  boats  then  convey  the  corn  to 
the  coaft  ;  I'urkifh  and  Greek  vefiels  are 
employed  in  the  bufinefs  ;  the  Grand 
Signior*s  galliot  fees  nothing;  and  avidi- 
ty profiting  by  this  licence^  accomplilhes 
every  fpecies  of  fraud. 

The  fall  of  timber  on  the  coafts  is 
given  up  alike  to  pillage.  The  moft 
gowerful  individual  in  the  country,   ar- 


rogates 


BARON    DE    TOTT.  J47 

rogates  to  himfelf  the  right  of  difpofing 
of  this  domanical  property  of  the  fove- 
reign  ;  and  the  mariner  who  makes  his 
fraudulent  purchafe,  and  always  en- 
deavours to  buy  as  cheap  as  pofTible,  ne- 
cefTarily  gives  life  to  this  marauding  fpi- 
rit,  v/hich  is  deftrudtive  of  all  fubordi na- 
tion and  difcipline,  and  leaves  nothing 
to  the  (late  that  furniflies  him  his  very 
failors,  but  loffcs^  which  are  beyond  ail 
calculation. 

On  leaving  Salonica,  I  went  to  vifit 
the  Ifles  of  St.  George  of  Squirees,  Fa- 
ros, Naxia,  and  Sira;  thefe  Iflands, 
as  well  as  thofe  with  which  the  Archipe- 
lago is  filled,  are  either  private  appen- 
dages which  the  proprietors  difpofe  of,  or 
immediate  dependencies  of  the  Captain 
Pacha  5  but  in  every  cafe,  the  inhabi- 
tants, whofc  common  interefl:  it  is  to 
prevent  the  appearance  of  any  Turkilli 
ofHcer  amongfl  them,  folicit  the  pcrmif- 
fion  of  farming  their  own  ifiands;  as 
defpotifm  however  has  always  its  claims 
alfo,  and  that  it  conftantly  requires  the 
cutting  off  a  head,  or  the  hanging  of  a 
fellow  creature,  the  republican  form  of 
Government,    the  form    eftablilhed  a^ 

amongO: 


34^  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

mongfl:  all  leffer  communities,  cannot 
be  too  agreeable.  Defpotifm  mud  have 
a  primate,  a  fubaltern  defpot,  fhould  he 
not  even  be  a  Turk ;  and  the  Greek, 
who  obtains  that  dignity,  never  deceives 
the  expedation  of  thofe  to  whom  he  owes 
his  elevation. 

On   quitting  Syra,  we  failed  for  Na- 
ples in    Romania.     This    town,  fituated 
at  the  bottom  of  the  Gulph   of  the  fame 
name,  and  which,   with  that  of  Lepan- 
tum,   form  the  peninfula  of  the  Morea, 
was   at    that   time  the  refidence   of  the 
Pacha  who   governs  that  part  of  Tur- 
key in  Europe.     He  was   compelled   to 
take  refuge  there  to  (belter  himfelf  from 
the  devaftations  committed    in   the  Mo- 
rea,  fince  the  Albanefe  had  come  there 
to  defend  it  from  the  invafion  of  the  Ruf- 
fians.    Thefe  troops,    whom    the    Porte 
wanted    to   get    rid    of,  infifted   on  not 
being  difbanded   before    they    received 
the  arrears  due  to  them,  and  which  were 
refufed  them.     The  Grand  Signoir,  on 
the  one  hand,   previoufly  expelled   their 
obedience;   the  Albanefe,  on  the  other, 
infilled  on   being  paid  :  their   infolence 
increafed    with   their  claims;    and    the 
Pacha,  who  was  employed  in  this  negotia- 
tion, 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  349 

tion,  had  neither  money  to  fatisfy,  nor 
power  to  compel  them.  His  orders 
from  Conftantinople  however,  urged 
him  to  terminate  the  bufinefs,  and  a  few 
a^ls  of  rigour,  which  are  always  mifpla- 
ced  when  there  is  no  power  to  fupport 
them,  only  ferved  to  confolidate  the  rc- 
volters,  whofe  firft  exploit  was  to  take 
pofTefTion  of  Tripolitza,  the  capital  of 
that  kingdom. 

The  retreat  of  the  Pacha  had  been  dic- 
tated by  them  contrary  to  prudence  j  but 
he  was  as  much  afraid  of  the  Porte,  as  of 
the  Albanefe.     His   was  a  very  embar- 
rafling    fuuation ;  i  had   known  him   at 
Conftantinople,  w.herehe  had  held  in  the 
time    I   was   there,   the  office  of  Grand 
Equerry,   and  I  now  found  him  prepar- 
ing   for   the  fiege    of  Tripolitza.     This 
Turk^  accuflomed    to    fee    the    Grand 
Signior  difpofe  of  my  adivity,  and  grant 
me  his  confidence   in  all  military   mat- 
ters, made  no  doubt  of  my  eagernefs  to 
undertake  the  reduflion  of  the  rebels  of 
Morea.     The  army  he  had  colleded,  the 
command  of  which  he  defigned  for  me, 
was  compofed  only  of  voluntfers^  and 
hishoulhold  was  of  the  number,  but  the 
,  whole  troop  appeared  to  be  more  anima- 

ted 


^50  MEMOIRS     OF    THE 

ted  with   the   ardour   of  fpoil,   than  the 
love   of  glory.     I  obferved  alfo  that  the 
Pacha,    confident    of  appropriating    to 
himff  If,    both  one  and  the  other  after  his 
fuccefs,  was    very   ready    to  transfer  his 
authority,   that  he  might   not  in  any  ref- 
peft   commit    to  danger,    his   perfon  or 
reputation.     1  amufed  myfelf  in    confe- 
quence,  for  fome  time,   with  his  embar- 
rafTments  and  folicitations,    and  conclu-. 
ded  at  length,  by  telling  him,  that  I  nei- 
ther ought  to   do    it,  nor  could  I    take 
upon  m?  a  commiflion  fo  foreign  to  that 
with  which  I  was.  entrufted  :    I  could  on- 
ly convince  him  however  of  my  want  of 
inclination;    nor    had    1  more  fuccefs  in 
attempting  to  demonflrate  to   him,  that 
no   perfon   but   hirnlelf,    could  properly 
condu6l  this  bufinefs,    in  v/hich  his  pre- 
{tncc  would  have  more  weight   than  all 
the  military  force  he  had  at  his  difpofal. 
He  continued  unfhaken  in  his  refolution 
of  remaining  at  Naples  in  Romania,  and 
in  this  difordered  (late  of  ideas   and  dif-. 
pofition  *,    I  left  him  to  fet  out   for  Tu-. 
nis,  where  1  was  to  finifh  nny  infpeflion. 

After 

•  I    could    not  avoid  however  fhowing  the  Com- 
mander of   the    Artillery,   the   ufe  cf  mortars  for 
[tiirowing  granadoes,  and  tke  J»aunef  of  preparieg 

tjxc 


BARON    DE    TOTT.  351 

After  touching  at  Malta,  and  putting 
into  Lampedofia,  we  doubled  Cape  Bon  j 
and  caaie  to  an  ancnor  oppofite  the  new 
caftle  of  the  Goulette,  or  entrance  of  the 
harbour,  from  whence  I  went  to  f  unis. 

This  town,  fituated  on  the  banks  of  a 
lake,  or  rather  of  a  fhallow  water  in  the 
form  of  a  lake,  and  which  communicates 
with  the  gulph  by  a  channel,  is  rather 
large,  pretty  well  built,  and  not  ill  de- 
fended by  the  fort  on  the  fea,  and  by 
fome  fmaller  ones  fcattere'd  on  the  emi- 
nences which  furround  it.  It  is  proba- 
ble that  this  fuuation,  firll  made  choice 
of  by  filhermen,  who  have  determined 
that  of  almoft  all  maritime  towns,  ap- 
peared to  the  Tunifians  preferable  to  that 
of  Carthage,  when  enriched  by  their  ra- 
pine, they  dared  to  make  open  war  on 
commerce.  It  is  to  be  prefumed  al.fo, 
that  their  piracies  have  made  them  wifh 
to  keep  out  of  the  way  of  a  bSmbard- 
ment.  The  platform,  on  which  we  dill 
oiay  fee  the  ruins  of  the  rival  of  ancient 
Rome,  advances  on  the  contrary  into  the 
middle  of  the  gulph,  and  for  this  rcafon,. 

had 

the  matches.     It  was  a  long  time  after  this  before 
thp  Porte  could  appeafe  the  troubles  in  Morea, 


352  MEMOIRS    OF    TH2 

had  they  built  there,  the  Tunifians 
would  have  been  expofed  to  a  coup  de 
mainy  the  only  attack  they  have  to  fear, 
as  long  as  the  policy  of  Europe,  telef- 
cope  in  hand,  to  make  difcoveries  in 
diftant  countries,  continues  to  over  look 
what  would  be  !nuch  tj  >"e  convenient 
and  advantageous.  The  aquedntls  of 
ancient  Carthage  are  ^  et  to  be  feen  near 
Tunis ;  and  fiz  leagues  \\p  the  country  is 
the  caftle  of  Trater,  which  ferved  by 
way  of  refervoir,  and  is  the  only  remain- 
ing  monument^  of  that  time  that  an- 
nounces any  thing  of  magniricence.  The 
heaps  of  ruins  on  its  ancient  fitc,  have  no 
appearanceof  it  J  but  by  digging  amongfl 
them,  one  difcovers  fome  traces  of  what 
this  place  formerly  has  been,,  by  the  gold 
medals  which  time  has  not  been  able  to 
deftroy  j  I  faw  a  colledlion  of  them  at  Tu- 
nis, which  appeared  to  me  very  precious. 
The^  dignity  of  Bey  is  hereditary, 
and  his  authority  abfolute.  It  extends 
into  Africa,  over  a  great  tra<5l  of  coun- 
try in  which  he  collects  his  annual  tribute 
by  a  litde  army  that  marches  through  it, 
for  that  purpofe.  This  triDute,  joined 
to  that  of  the  tithes,  the  poll-tax,  his 
ihare  of  the  prizes,  and  Cuftom-houfe 

duties. 


BARON     DE    TOTT.  353 

duties,  form  the  revenue  of  the  fove- 
reign  ;  but  the  commerce  and  induftry 
of  the  Tunifians  conftitute  the  true  bafis 
of  their  wealth,  and  of  a  fort  of  affabi- 
lity which  didinguifhes  them  from  the 
other  nations  of  Barbary.  The  Bey  re- 
fides  at  fome  diflance  from  the  town. 
His  refidence  is  called  the  Barde,  and 
this  palace,  furroundt;d  by  walls  and 
flanked  by  towers,  difplays  more  mag- 
nificcnce  in  its  interior,  than  one  would 
be  led  to  expc<^t  from  its  external  ap- 
pearance J  the  mofl  remarkable  part  of 
it,  is  a  fpacious  court  furrounded  with 
buildings  raifed  on  a  colonade  of  white 
marble  ;  there  are  fome  apartments  alfo 
which  appeared  to  me  not  badly  orna- 
mented for  that  country;  but  they  who 
judge  of  the  Barde  from  the  hall  of  the 
Divan,  where  the  Bey  gives  audience, 
would  not  conceive  a  very  exalted  idea 
of  its  magnificence.  It  was  for  this  rea- 
fon,  perhaps,  that  the  prime  minifter 
granted  me  an  audience  in  the  hall  of 
the  treafury.  I  do  not  know  whether 
the  cheft  which  ferved  us  by  way  of  feat 
was  full  of  gold,  as  well  as  thofe  this  hall 
is  filled  with.  For  my  own  part  what 
1    faw    refembled  more  a  wardrobe,  or 

rather 


.354  MEMOIRS    OF    THE 

rather  the  back  (hop  of  an  old  cloath's- 
man,  with  his  goods  piled  up  in  heaps  ; 
but  I  was  charoicd  with  the  mlldnefs, 
the  infor'Tiation,  and  refined  underdand- 
ing  of  the  Barbarian,  with  whom  1  had 
to  tranfad  my  bufinefs.  I  had  a  private 
audience  iikewife  of  the  ion  of  the  reign- 
ing  Bey,  and  who  has  jud  fucceeded  his 
fatheri  1  was  apprized  of  the  timidity  of 
this  young  prince's  charadter,  and  took 
care  accordingly  to  put  himat  hiseafe. 

I  faw  at  the  Barde  a  great  number  of 
Haves  of  every  nation  ;  but  they  gave  me 
none  of  the  ideas  ufually  entertained  re- 
fpecting  them,  I  faw  them  well  cloath- 
ed,  well  fed,  and  well  treated,  and  I 
am  inclined  to  doubt,  ifthofe  even  who 
are  home-fick,  have  in  general  much 
reafon  to  be  fatisfied  with  their  ranfom. 
It  is  pofTible,  in  truth,  that  the  flaves 
fold  into  the  interior  parts  of  the  coun- 
try, or  to  individuals  who  purchafe  them 
on  fpeculation,  are  not  i^o  happy  as  thofe 
who  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  fovereign,  or 

the  grandees.  We  may  prefume,  how- 
ever>  that  even  the  avarice  of  their  maf- 
ters  militates  in  their  favour,  for  it  muft  be 
confefled  that  the  Europeans  are  the  only 

people  who  ill  treat  their  flaves,  which 

arifes 


BARON     D£    TOTT.  355 

arifes  no  doubt  from  this  ciufe, — that 
they  conftitute  the  we;ikh  of  the  orien- 
tals, and  that  with  us  they  are  the  means 
of  amafling  wealth.  In  the  Eaft  they 
are  the  delight  of  the  mifer ;  with  us  they 
are  only  the  inftrument  of  avarice. 
Convey  a  negro  of  our  colonies,  and  an 
European  flave  of  Tunis,  into  a  neutral 
and  impartial  country  ; — it  is  to  that  tri- 
bunal I  appeal. 

The  chara6ler  of  the  Tunifians,  their 
paflions,  and  every  thing  that  conftitutes 
their  manners,  partakes  of  the  burning 
climate  of  Africa;  but  if  the  imagina- 
tion of  this  people,  as  well  as  of  the 
Turks,  neceflarily  go  aftray,  from  the 
privations  arifing  from  the  plurality  of 
women,  always  referved  for  the  rich, 
the  conftitution  of  thefe  Africans  not  per- 
mitting them  to  give  themfeives  up  to 
the  fame  errors,  nothing  can  wichftand 
the  impetuofity  of  their  paffion,  which 
overfleps  the  bounds  even  of  human  na- 
ture. 

They  who  think  that  the  want  of  clean- 

linefs    is   the   principal  caufe  of  the  un- 

'  healthinefs  of  towns,  would  be  artonilhed 

to  fee  the  inhabitants  of  Tunis  exifl  m 

the 


356  MtMOIRS   OF    TH£,    &C, 

the  infedlcd  air  they  refpire,  occafioned 
by  the  putrid  exhalations  of  a  canal 
which  conveys  the  fihh  of  the  town  into 
the  adjoining  lake.  This  lake  itfelf 
emits  exhalations,  which  appear  no  lefs 
dangerous  ;  but  the  falubrity  of  Tunis 
can  only  be  attributed  to  the  depth  of  the 
valley  which  terminates  in  the  gulph, 
and  which,  by  attrafling  the  vapours  of 
the  canal,  and  of  the  lake,  does  not  give 
them  time  to  acquire  fuch  a  degree  of 
corruption  as  to  make  ihem  noxious  to 
man. 

In  quitting  Tunis  to  re-imbark,  1  had 
the  opportunity  of  obfcrving  the  ruins  of 
the  fort  built  by  Charles  the  Fifth.  The 
quantities  of  earth  colledled  by  time  have 
removed  it  to  a  little  dillance  from  the 
fea,  for  which  reafon  undoubtedly  the 
Tunifians  have  fubftituted  that  of  the 
goulette. 

From  this  road  we  fet  fail  for  Toulon, 
and  I  here  finifli  Memoirs^  which  I  fhould 
never  have  written,  had  I  not  imagined 
they  might  be  ufeful, 

r  H  E      E  N  D. 

GENERAL 


GENERAL    INDEX. 


A. 

ABDIR  Muftapha,  Pacha,  the  maker  of  wells, 
vol.  iii.  page  114.     His  outfet  as  Vifir;   lef- 
fon  he  receives,  ibid.  187. 

Abdul  Hamid ;  fmgular  effed  on  his  mounting 
the  throne,  v.  iii.  p.  182.  His  firfl:  vifit  to  the 
fchool,   opinion  refpedling  a  fentinel,  ib.  183. 

Adjemka,  critical  pofition  of  the  Tartarian  army, 
V,  ii.  p.  190.  The  burning  of  this  town  difcovers 
its  inhabitants,  ib.  200. 

Alay,  V.  iii.  p.  2.  / 

Aleppo,  V.  iii.  p.  318. 

Alexandretta,  v.  iii.  p.  332. 

Alexandria,  its  fituation  and  ruins,   v,  iii.  p.  234. 

Antioch,  v.  iii.  p.  328. 

Aqueduds,  built  by  the  Greeks  and  the  Turks, 
v.  i.  p.  239. 

Archipelago,   v.  iii.  p.  347. 

Archiie£lure,  ignorance  of  the  Turks  in  that  art, 
V.  i.  p.  241.     Of  the  Tartars,  v.  iii.  p.  89. 

Army,  Ottoman,  the  devaftation  committed  by 
it  on  its  departure  from  ConAantinoplej  v.  ii.  p.  192. 

The 


INDEX. 

The  Government  ignorant  of  its  Ibength,  v.  iii-  p. 
i8i. 

Army,  Tartar,  v.  ii.  p.  1-5.  Its  proviftons,  ib. 
176.  Encamped  on  a  lake,  ib.  184.  Order  of  at- 
tack, ib,  156.  Iti  fuff:;rings  from  the  cold,.  ib« 
190. 

Artillery,  firft  proof  of  it  at  Kiathana,  v.  iii.  p. 
93.     Field  trail;  of  it,  ib.  164. 

AiVology  judicial,  the  confidence  of  the  Turks 
in  that  fcience,  v.  iii.  p.  153. 

Affeqjis,  V.  iii   p.  125.      Note. 

Audience,  of  the  Kam  of  the  Tartars,  v.  ii. 
p.  87. 

B. 

Ba6lch6feray,  v.  ii.  p.  49.     Note. 

Baths,  Turkilh,  their  conftrudion  and  effe^l,  v.  i. 
p.  176. 

Balkan,  v.  ii.  p.  244. 

Barde,  v.  iii.  p.  35  3. 

Boats,  perfedion  of  thofe  in  Turkey  ;  diftindions 
belonging  to  them  ;  covered  with  white,  and  barred 
for  the  women  of  the  Seraglio,  v.  i.  p.  247. 

Bayonet,  ufe  of  that  weapon  adopted  in  prefence 
of  the  Mufti,  v.  iii.  p.  138. 

Bairam,  v.  i.  p.  238. 

Befeftins,  their  ftrufture,  ufe,  and  motive,  v.  i. 
p.  54. 

Bombs,  anecdote  of  ignorance  in  that  refpedl,  v. 
iii.  p.  55'     Aricochtty  ib.  122. 

Borifthenes,  fize  of  that  river;  manner  of  paf- 
fing  it,  V.  ii.  p.  68. 

Boftandgy- 


INDEX. 

Boftandgy-Bachi,  Infpedor  of  the  irregularities 
committed  by  the  women,  and  extent  of  his  jurif- 
diction  in  that  refpedl,  v.  i.  (Preliminary  Difc^urfe) 
p.  32.  Exampleof  his  juftice,  and  the  terror  he  in- 
fp.rts,   ib.  74. 

Boyards,  v.  ii.  p.  39.  Their  intrigues  and  op- 
preflions,   ib.  40. 

Blind,  unlimited  inftitution  for  them  in  Egypt, 
V.  iii.  p.  277. 

Burials  amongft  the  Turks,  r.  i.  p.  135. 

Birth,  the  pradice  on  that  of  an  Ottoman  Prince 
or  Princefs,   v.  i.  p.  182. 

Butts,  obfervations  on  thefe  heaps,  vol  ii.  p.  61 . 

Burning,  of  NewServia;  its  eft'eOs  on  the  at- 
mofphere,  v.  ii.  p.  192. 


Campaign   of  the   Tartars,  their  incurfion  into 
New  Servia,  v.  ii.  p.  169. 

Canal  of  the  Red  Sea,  v.  iii.  258. 

Candia,  defcription  of  that  ifland,  v.  iii.  205. 

Capidgi-Bachi,  what  his  office  is,  his  different  em- 
ployments,  V.  i.  p.   200.      Note. 

Captain  Pacha,  what  that  dignity  is,  v.  i,  p.  197. 

Catapulta,  implement  of  theancients,  oneexifting 
in  the  armory  of  the  Seraglio,  v.  i.  p.  190.    Note. 

Charity  towards  animals,    v,  i.  p.    222. 

Cheks,  their  iniolence,  v.  iii,  p.  173. 

Cyprus,  V.  iii.  p   35. 

Chirins,   v.  ii.  p.  91.     Note.     Their  pride,  ib. 
128. 

Circaffian.     See  Georgian. 

Climate 


INDEX. 

Climate  of  Conftantinopic,  v.  i.  p.  88. 

Comedy,  Turkifti,  v.  i.  p.  192,  193.  Public 
rejoicings,  ib.  234. 

Comedians,  companies  of  them,  how  they  are 
compofcd,  V.  i.  p.  193. 

Conilantinople,  its  fituation,  its  harbour,  its  en- 
virons, the  aftivity  which  reigns  there,  and  its 
afpefls,  V.  i.    p.  37. 

Converfion,  opinion  of  the  Turks  in  that  refpeft, 
dialogue  between  Krim  Gueray  and  the  Baron  de 
Tott,  V.  ii.  p,  214. 

C  rimea,  topographical  defcription  of  that  pcnin- 
fula,  V,  ii.  p.  109.  Its  agriculture,  ib.  116.  Mo- 
numents of  the  tyranny  of  the  Genoefc  in  the 
Crimea,   ib.  1 19. 

Crcfcent,  the  little  value  attached  by  the  Turks 
to  it,  V.  i.  p.  246. 

Cookery  of  the  Tartars  in  war,   v.  ii.  p.  176. 

Cuftom-houfe,  receipts  of  the,   v.  i.  p.  208. 

D. 

Dances,  their  indecency,  v,  i.  (Preliminary  Dif- 
courfe)  p.  29.  Contempt  in  which  their  women 
dancers  are  held,  30.  Opinion  of  the  Tuiks,  re- 
fpeding  that  amuferaent  amongft  the  Europeans, 
ib.  45. 

Dardanelles,  bad  flate  of  them,  v.  iii.  p.  40. 
Their  fituation,  ib.  40.  Attack  of  the  Ruflians, 
ib.  43.  Difpofition  of  the  works,  for  their  defence, 
ib.  47.  Zeal  of  a  Turk,  and  his  dirintereitednefs, 
ib.  63.  Remarkable  inftance  of  barbarity,  ib. 
67.     Cowardice  of  the  troops,  ib.  76. 

Delta, 


INDEX. 

Delta,  V.  ill  p.  223.  Obfervations  on  the  for- 
mation of  that  ifle,  ib.  233. 

Dgezar,  Pacha,  v.  iii.  294. 

Difcipline,  means  employed  by  the  Turks  toefta- 
bliih  and  maintain  it^  v.  i.  p.  129. 

Difcipline  of  the  Tartars,  v,  ii.  p.  211.  Re- 
markable inftance  of  their  fubmiffion,  ib.  212. 

Dromedaries,  v.  ii.  p.  43,     Note. 

Drufes,  v.  iii.  p.  301.  Obfervations  on  that 
people,  ib.  310. 

E. 

Egypt,  every  thing  relative  to  it,  v.  iii.  p.  222. 
Its  population,  ib  264.  Its  commerce,  ib.  266. 
Vegetation,  ib.  268.     Its  Government,   ib.  278. 

Egyptians,  their  induftry,  ib.  270.  Their  cha- 
rafter,  ib.  273.     Their  Religion,   ib.  274. 

Eledlricity,  its  effe£l3  on  the  Tartars,  v.  ii.  p.  94. 

Emin,  Pacha,  v.  iii.  p.  8. 

Eunuchs,  black  and  white,  their  employment 
and  charader,  v.  i.  p.  99. 

Executions,  v.  i,  p.  231.  Diftindion  between 
that  of  the  true  believer  and  the  infidel,  ib,  232. 

Executioner,  executes  the  office  of  advocate  for 
the  criminal,  v.  i.  p.  231. 

Exchequer,  manner  of  its  accounting  with  the 
fucceffors  in  office ;  of  deceafed  perfons,  v.  i,  p.  202. 

Entertainments,  Turkifh,  v.  i.  p.  154. 

F. 

Famine,  caufe  of  it ;  diforders  occafioned  by  it.^ 
V.  i.  p.  65. 

Vol.  III.  o  Favourites, 


INDEX. 

Favourites,  death  of  the  three  favourites  of  Sul- 
tan Mahomout,  v.  i.  (Preliminary  Difcourfe)  p.  14. 

Founderies,  eftablifliment  of  the  new  one,  and 
the  others,  v.  i.  p.  116. 

FortrefTes,  new  ones,  v.  iii.  p.  153. 

Fireworks,  the  talents  of  the  Turks  in  that  art, 
V.  iip.  214.     Of  the  Tartars,  v.  ii.p.  94. 

Firefhips,  v,  iii.  p.  30. 

Field  fports,  of  the  Tartars,  ferve  as  a  pretext 
for  the  inroads  of  that  people,  v.  ii.  p.  48. 

Fire,  defcription  of  that  which  confumed,  in 
1756,  two  thirds  of  Conftantinople  ;  and  ufages  in 
that  rcfpeft,  v.  i.  p.  48.  Means  ufed  by  incendi- 
aries, ib.  152. 

Fifliery,  adventure  on  that  fubjeft,  v.  i.  p.  81. 


Georgia,  its  political  fituation,  v.  i.  (Preliminary 
Difcourfe)    p.  27.     Note. 

Georgian  women,  their  beauty,  v.  i.  (Prelimi- 
nary Difcourfe)  p.  28. 

Geography,  ignorance  of  it  amongft  the  Turks, 
V.  iii.  p.   16.     Note. 

Government,  little  refpcded  amongft  the  Turks, 
during  public  rejoicings,  v.  i,  p.  192.  Means  ufed 
by  it  to  punilh  criminals,  ib.  200.  Its  weaknefs 
refpefting  the  militia,  v.  iii.  p.  17.  Its  indifference 
refpefting  the  public  fafety,  ib.  19.  Its  diffidence 
refpefting  perfons  employed  under  it,  ib.  100. 
Education  of  their  young  women,  v.  l  p.  128; 
Their  intrigues,  relative  to  the  two  principalities 
cf  Moldavia  and  Walachia,  v.  ii.  p.  29.  Their 
vanity,  ib.  32. 

Gueray, 


INDEX. 

Guerav-,  origin  of  that  furname  amongft  the 
Gergifkan  Princes,  v.  ii.  p.  251.     Note. 

H. 

Harem,  the  pofitive  fignification  of  this  word. 
Diftindion  between  it  and  the  word  Seraglio,  vol.i. 
(Preliminary  Difcourfe)  p.  21.     Note. 

Hafne,  definition  of  that  word,  v.  i.  p.  199.  Note. 

Hiilory  Natural,  of  the  Crimea.     See  Crimea. . 

Hofpitality  of  the  Tartars,  vol.  ii.  p.  232. 

I. 

Inat  CoiTacks,  v.  ii.  p.  181.  Intrepidity  of  one 
of  them  at  the  pafTage  of  the  Ingul,  ib.  189. 

Inundation  of  the  Nile,  its  caufes,  v.  iii.  p.  224. 
Conjedures  concerning  that  of  the  Euphrates,  ib. 
230.  ' 

Ifed  Bey,  his  character,  v.  iii.  p.  33.  Becomes 
Viiir,  ib.  200.     Pacha  of  Cairo,  ib.  213. 

Ifmael  Bey,  v.  iii.  p.  34.  His  indifference  re^ 
fpefting  the  calamities  of  the  Empire,  ib.  166, 

J. 

Joppa,  V.  iii.  p.  293. 

Janiflaries,  inftitution  of  that  militia,  v.  ii,p.  77. 
Their  pay,  v.  iii.  p.  134. 
Juflice  Turkifh,  v.  i.  z^u 

K. 

Kam  of  the  Tartars,  etiquette  of  his  court,  v.  ii, 
p.  87.  His  field  diverfions,  ib.  99.  His  palace, 
ib.  107. 

Q^  2  Kapin> 


INDEX. 

Kapin,  marriage  after  that  form,  what  it  is,  v.  i. 
(Pr-jliminary  Di^courfe)    p.  22. 

Kotchim,  fituation  of  that  fortrefs,  v.  ii.  p.  8. 

Kr.m  Gueray,  outfet  of  that  Prince  with  the 
Baron  de  Tott,  v.  ii.  p.  142.  Dr'fcription  of  him, 
itb.  His  entry,  ib.  The  Tartars  afraid  of  his  firft 
act  of  feverity,  ib.  146.  His  opinion  of  the  Vifir 
Emin  Pacha,  ib.  164  His  undenianding,  ib.  172. 
His  humanity,  ib.  18^.  His  difgult  for  heads  cut 
©ft,  ib.  193,     His  death,  ib.  inj. 


Language,  Turkifh,  manner  of  teaching  it  j  how 
it  is  compofed;  its  difficulties,  v.  i.  p.  41. 

Lattciquey,  v.  iii.  p.  306. 

Lefgin  Tartars,  arrival   of  an  AmbafTador  from 
that  liation,  v.  ii.  p.  i   o. 

Lebanon  Mount,  v  iii.  p.  309. 

Laws  fumptuary,  v.  i.  p.  145, 

Laws  civil,  v.  i.  p    209.     Criminal  laws  amongll 
the  Tartars,  v.  ii.  p.  ;  19. 

Locufts,   ravages  of  thefe  animals,  v.  ii.   p.  64. 
Caufe  of  their  dellrudlion,  ib. 

M. 

Macedonians,  their  intrepidity,  v.  iii.  p.  156. 

Machine  for  mailing  Chips,    its  conftrudion,  v. 
iii.  p.  178. 

Makfoud  Gueray,  the  Kam,  his  manner  of  liv- 
ing, and  charafter,  v.  ii.  p.  91. 

Mamalukes,  v.  iii.  p.  278. 

Marine,  bad  ftate  of  the  Turkifh,  v.  iii.  p.  23. 

Martavan,  fingular  caftom  of  its  inhabitants,  v. 
iii.  p.  325. 

Mekkemd, 


INDEX. 

Mekkem^,  v.  i.  p.  218. 

Melik  Pacha,  Caymakam,  v.  iil.  p.  33. 

Mikmandar,  v.  ii.  p.  io.  note.  OppreiTions  of 
them,  ib.  27. 

Montague,  Lady  M.  Wortley,  refutation  of  her 
letters,  v.  i.  (Preliminary  Difcourfe)  p.  29. 

Minarets,  their  conftru6lionand  ufe,  v.  i.  p.  245. 

Miri,   their,  oppreflions  of  the  workmen,  v.  iiio   . 

P'  105- 

Monks  Tartar,  v.  i.  p.  162. 

Moldavians,  remarkable  obdinacy  of  that  peo- 
ple, V.  ii.  p.  2 1 .    Their  origin  and  language,  ib.  4 1 , 
Moldavia,   ftate  of  that  province,  v.   ii.   p.  29. 
immoderate  taxes  fuppoiied  by  it,  ib.  30.     Devaf- 
tation  of  it,  ib.  40. 

Money,  kinds  cf  it,  their  definition,  v.  i.  p.  157. 
note. 

Money,  name  of  it,  v.  ili.  p.  135. 
Monopoly,  by  the  Government,  v.  i.  p.  64, 
Morea,  v.  iii.  p.  348. 
Mofque,  v.  i»  p.  241, 

Mount    Olympus,  the  fituation  of  that  of  Afisj 
its  conneclion  with  the   temperature  of  the  climate 
of  Conilantincple,  v.  i,  p.  90.  v.  iii.  p.  2c6.  .. 
Mutualis,  V.  iii.  p.  30., 

Murad   Mollach,    his  manner  of  living,  does  not 
know   his  children,   his   reaioning  on  the  paternal 
fentimeat,  on  the  plurality  of  womep3  v.  i.  p.  72. 
Mufic  Turkifh,  v.  i,  p.  159,    , 
Muftapha  III.  Sultan,  his  accefTiOn  to  the  throne^ 
V.  i.  p.  134.     His  former  fituation,  ib.  136.     Def- 
crip-.ion  of  him,  ib   537.     His  Inftallation,  ib.  138. 
Muilapha  Sultan,  his  firft  proceeding  refpeding 
Baron  De  Tott,  v.  iii.  p.  8.     He  comes  to  fee  the 
0^3  pontoons. 


INDEX. 

pontoons,  ib.  109.  Kis  projeft  for  a  canal  be- 
tween the  Red  Sea  and  Mediterranean,  v.  iii.  p, 
259.     Note. 

Mourning,  not  in  ufe  smong  the  Turks,   v.    i. 

P-  J  35 

Mathematical  School,  its  eftablifhment,  v.  iii. 
p.  172. 

AffeAing  adieu  of  the  fcholars,  ib.  203. 

N. 

Navigation,  ignorance  of  that  art  amongll  the 
Turks,  V.  iii.  p.  160. 

Necropolis,  v.  iii,  p.  242. 

Nile,  V.  iii.  p.  222.     Its  mud,  ib.  231. 

Nilomoter,  v.  iii.  p.  2:8. 

Noguais,  V.  ii.  p.  50.  The  opinion  they  have 
of  their  country,  ib,  51.  Note.  Their  patience 
in  fearch  of  their  herds,  ib.  52.  Their  food,  ib. 
53.  rheir  circumrpedion  towards  ftrangers,  ib. 
i;4.  Obfervaticns  on  iheir  culloms,  ib.  59.  Their 
drefs,  ib.  65,  Manner  of  catching  their  horfes, 
ib.  67.  Their  avarice,  ib.  j?3.  Their  com- 
merce, ib.  75. 

O. 

Obas,  what   they  are,  their  con(lru£lion,   v.   ii» 

P-53- 

Oczafecw,  fituation  of  that  place,  v.  ii    p.  68. 

Opium,  immoderate  ufe  of  it  amongft  the  Turks, 
its  confequences,  v.  i.  p.  160.  v.  ii.  p.  24.7 

Orcopi,  or  Perecop,  defcription  of  the  lines  of 
it.  V.  ii.  p.  76. 

P,        • 

Patriarch  of  the  Greeks,  his  depofal ;  inftallation 

of 


INDEX. 

of  his  fucceffor ;  means  employed  for  that,   v,  i. 
p.  I  10. 

Perecop,  fee  Orcopi. 

Plague,  its  origin,  caufe  that  perpetuates  it,  fa- 
cility of  fuccour  for  thofe  who  are  attacked  with  it, 
remedy,  fingular  obfervations  on  it,  v.  i.  p.  69. 
Not  a  native  of  Egypt,  v.  iii.  p.  269. 

Pyramids,  journey  to  them,  v.  iii.  p.  216.  Ob- 
fervations on  their  conftrudion,  ib.  238.  On  their 
elevation,  ibc  253. 

Pontoons,  demanded  by  the  army,  v.  iii.  p.  100. 
Sheated  with  leatner,  ib.  105.  Proof  of  them  in 
prefence  of  the  Grand  Signior,  ib.    jio. 

PfQth,  paffage  of  that  river,  v.  ii.  p.  14. 

Pride  of  the  furks  defined  by  themleives,  v.    i. 

P-  247- 

Pillar  of  Pompey,  v.  iii   p.  237. 

Punifhment,  its  infamy  does  not  extend  to  the 
relations  of  liie  criminal,  v.  i.  p.  232.  They  are 
often  vain  01  it,  ib.  233. 

R. 

Rachub-Pacha,  charader  of  that  Grand  Vifir^ 
V.  i.  p.  61.  His  Ikill  in  managing  the  people,  ib. 
148.     His  contempi  of  all  prejudices,  ib.  167. 

Ramazan,  v.  i.  p.  235. 

Rejoicings,  public,  v.  i.  p.  184. 

Revolt  of  rhe  women,  v.  i.  p.  d"]. 

Rhodes,  v.  iii   p.  338. 

Rites,  Greek,  v.  i.  p.  112. 

Romelia,  or  Romania,  v.  ii.  p.  2^7. 


Saint  Lewis,    obfervation   on    his  landing   in 


I    N    D    E    X. 

Egypt,  V.  in.  p.  288. 

Saint  Johnof  Acra,  v.  iil.  p.  294. 

Saint  Sophia,  that  building  too  highly  extolled, 
V.  i.  p.  241. 

Saic,  V.  iii.  p.  59.     Note. 

Saltpits,  of  Crimea,  v.  ii.  p.  8i» 

Salonica,  v.  iii.  p.  344. 

Sandjak-Cherif,  fally  of,  misfortune  occafioned 
by  it,  V.  iii.  p.  5. 

Seide,  or  Sidon,  v.  iii.  p.  301. 

Seraglio,  its  fituation,  (treliminary  Difcourfe) 
Note.  V.  i.  p.  20.  Ics  dillindtion  from  the  word 
Harem,  ib.  Note,  p.  21. 

Serafker,  v.  ii.  p.  36. 

Sipahis,  under  the  orders  of  the  Kam  of  the 
Tartars,  V.  ii.  p.  161.  Their  infolence,  ib. 
The  difafter  that  befalls  them,  ib.  163.  Several 
of  them  drowned  in  the  pafTage  of  the  Ingul,  ib. 
188.  Their  cowardice  on  the  firft  (hot,  ib.  20.2. 
Their  barbarity,  ib.  205. 

Smyrna,  v.  iii.  p.  248. 

Sphinx,  V.  iii.  p.  252. 

Succeffion  to  the  Ottoman  throne,  order  of.it,  v. 
i.  p.  93.  The  Tartar  Princes  have  nt)  right  to  it, 
ib.  95.  Barbarous  laws  againlt  the  collaterals  in 
the  nrft  degree,  ib. 

Su'tan,  meaning  of  that  title,  v.  i.  p.  93, 

Sultan  Oiman,  his  charader,  v.  i.  p.  58. 

Sultana,  how  ihis  word  is  to  be  underftood,  v.  i. 
p.  96. 

Sultana  Valida,  Sultana  mother,  ib.  97.  Their 
manner  of  living  in  their  palaces,  ib.  98.  At  what 
age  they  are  ma.iied,  ib.  102. 

Saltans  Tartar,  their  refidence  in  Romania,  v.  ii. 

P'  247' 

Suratchis, 


INDEX. 

Suratchis,  inflltution  of  Uiat  corps,  v.  iii.  p.  i  37. 

Surnie,  what  it  is,  v.  i.  p.  1  74. 

Siambol  EfFendifly,  his  jurifdijion,  v.  i,  p.  218. 
His  rank,  ib.  Note. 

Slaves,  from  whence  they  are  brought  to  Con- 
ftantinople,  v.  i.  (Preliminary  Difcourfe)  p.  27. 
Their  fituation  in  the  Eaft,  vol.  iii.  p.  354, 

Standard,  of  the  Pic  in  architefcure,  v.  iii.  p. 
151. 

Standard  of  Mahomet,  v.  ii.  p.  4.     Note. 

Shagreen  of  Turkey,  v.  ii.  p.  239. 

Sherbet,  v.  ii.  p.  37. 

Swivel,  remarkable  fize  of  one,  v.  iii.  p.  68. 

T. 

Tarrars,  their  political  iituation  and  government, 
V.  ii.  p.   127.     Raifing  of  troops,  ib.  J39. 

Tayn,  v.  ii.  p,  86. 

Tchefne,  burning  of  the  Turkiih  fleet  there, 
V.  iii.  p.  35. 

Tilt,  exclufively  ufed  by  the  fovereign,  the  heir 
to  the  throne,  and  firft  minifter,  v.  i.  p.  248. 

Tents  of  the  Tartars,  their  mechanifm,  v.  ii. 
p.  54. 

Timoriois,  v.  ii.  p.  174.     Note. 

Tripoly,  in  Syria,  v.  iii.  p.  295. 

Troubles  at  Cairo,  v.  iii.  p.  28.  Hiftory  of  the 
/evolution,  in  1777,  ib.  285. 

Tower,  Leander's,  v,  i.  p.  183.     Note. 

Tulips,  feaftofthe,  v.  i,  p.  ig$. 

Tunis,  V.  iii.  p.  351. 

Turkmen,  v.  iii.  p,  327. 

Turks,  their  temerity  at  the  aftair  at  Grotfka, 
and  in  the  late  war,  v.  i.  (Preliminary  Difcourfe) 

p.  6. 


INDEX. 

p.  6.  Note.     Their  contempt  for  the  Greeks,  v.  ii. 
p.  29.     Their  cruelty  ihocks  the  Tartars,  ib.  205. 
V. 

Vengeance,  manner  in  which  the  Turks  revenge 
their  injuries,  v.  i.  p.  229. 

Vifir,  definition   of  that   word;   difference   be- 
tween Vifir  and  Grand  Vifir,  v.  i.  p.  1  97.     Not«. 
U. 

Ulemats,  body  of,  their  privilege,  v.  i.  p.  60, 

Ufages  of  the  Tartars,  their  refemblance  to  Eu- 
ropean cufloms,  V.  ii.  p.  237. 
W. 
Wind.     Damaik,  the  difafler  it  occafions  j  means 
of  preferving  one's    felf  from    it,  vol.  i.  p.  88. 
South  wind,  obfervations  on  it,  v   i.  p.  89. 

Wine,  the  ufe  of  it  prohibited  by  the  law,  and 
encouraged  by  government,  v.  i.  p.  234. 

WitnefTes,  no  law-fuit  in  Turkey  without  falfe 
ones,  V.  i.  p.  209.  Punifhment  of  falfe  witnefTes, 
ib.  2'o. 

Women,  the  Grand  Signior*s,  their  titles,  v.  1. 
p.  97.     Precautions  when  they  go  out,  ib.  249. 

Women,  Turkilh,  a  (ketch  of  their  fituation,  v. 
i.  ^Preliminary  Difcourfe^p.  25.     The  liberty  they 
enjoy,  ib.  3  1 .     How  ihey  abufe  it,  ib.  32. 
Y. 

Yaffi,  fituation  of  that  town,  v.  ii.  p.  38. 
Z. 

Zaporavian  Coflacs,  their  neutrality,  v.  ii. 
p.  186. 

FINIS. 


m^: 


i